-2,62 


•  i 


I 


RELIGIOUS    LECTURES 


PECULIAR  PHENOMENA 


FOUR  SEASONS: 

I.  THE  RESURRECTIONS  OF  SPRING : 

II.  THE  TRIUMPHAL  ARCH  OF  SUMMER  : 

III.  THE  EUTHANASIA  OF  AUTUMN: 

IV.  THE  CORONATION  OF  WINTER: 

DELIVERED  TO  THE  STUDENTS  IN  AMHERST  COLLEGE, 

IN  1845,  1847,  1848  AND  1849. 
BY  EDWARD  HITCHCOCK,  D.  D.,  LL.  D., 

PRESIDENT    OF     THE     COLLEGE,    AND    PROFESSOR    OF     NATURAL 
THEOLOGY  AND   GEOLOGY. 


AMHEEST: 
J.   S.   &   C.   ADAMS. 

1850. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year 

1849,  by  J.  S.  &  C.  ADAMS,  in  the 
Clerk's  Office  in  the  District  Court  of  Massachusetts. 


TO  THE  HON.  SAMUEL  WILLISTON; 

THE  MUNIFICENT  FRIEND  AND  PATRON  OF  RELIGION  AND  LEARNING  J 

THE    FOUNDER    OF    WILLISTON    SEMINARY} 
AND  THE  LIBERAL  BENEFACTOR  OF  AMHERST  COLLEGE  : 

THIS  LITTLE  WORK, 

THE    FIRST    FRUITS    OF   A   PROFESSORSHIP   OF     NATURAL     THEOLOGY 
AND  GEOLOGY,  ENDOWED  BY  HIM,  AND  FILLED  BY  THE  AUTHOR; 

IS   MOST    RESPECTFULLY    DEDICATED  j 
AS    A    TOKEN    OF    GRATITUDE    AND   PERSONAL   FRIENDSHIP. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year 

1849,  by  J.  S.  &  C.  ADAMS,  in  the 
Clerk's  Office  in  the  District  Court  of  Massachusetts. 


TO  THE  HON.  SAMUEL  WILLISTON; 

THE  MUNIFICENT  FRIEND  AND  PATRON  OF  RELIGION  AND  LEARNING  J 

THE    FOUNDER    OF    WILLISTON    SEMINARY; 

AND  THE  LIBERAL  BENEFACTOR  OF  AMHERST  COLLEGE  : 

THIS  LITTLE  WORK, 

THE    FIRST   FRUITS   OF   A   PROFESSORSHIP   OF    NATURAL     THEOLOGY 
.  AND  GEOLOGY,  ENDOWED  BY  HIM,  AND  FILLED  BY  THE  AUTHOR  J 

IS   MOST    RESPECTFULLY    DEDICATED  j 
AS    A   TOKEN    OF   GRATITUDE   AND   PERSONAL   FRIENDSHIP. 


M184152 


PREFATORY. 


THE  Lecture  entitled  "  The  Coronation  of  Winter,"  in  this  little 
volume,  has  been  published  in  a  pamphlet  form  at  the  request  of  the 
students  of  Amherst  College,  and  the  Mount  Holyoke  Female  Sem- 
inary, before  whom  it  was  originally  delivered.  And  it  was  the  in- 
terest manifested  in  that  discourse,  which  led  the  author  to  prepare 
others  on  some  rare  phenomena  of  spring,  summer,  and  autumn, 
and  which  leads  him  to  hope  that  the  whole  may  not  be  unaccepta- 
ble to  his  friends ;  though  he  cannot  anticipate  a  wide  circulation. 
To  have  published  four  sermons  on  ordinary  subjects,  in  the  expec- 
tation that  they  would  be  read,  would  have  been  weakness,  if  not 
folly.  Perhaps  the  present  effort  is  no  better :  But  the  author  feels 
that  Natural  Religion  has  not  yet  yielded  all  the  fruits  that  may  be 
derived  from  it,  to  feed  the  heart  of  piety ;  especially  when  those 
fruits  are  ripened  and  gathered  under  the  bright  sun  of  revelation, 
It  is  well  known  that  the  phenomena  of  nature  have  often  been 
made  to  utter  language  opposed  to  revelation,  by  the  ventriloquiz- 
ing processes  of  scepticism.  It  is  hoped,  therefore,  that  even  a 
feeble  attempt  to  let  nature  speak  in  unconstrained  tones,  will  be 
received  with  favor. 

The  manner  in  which  I  have  endeavored  to  defend  the  scripture 
doctrine  of  the  resurrection  of  the  body,  by  an  appeal  to  certain 
principles  of  chemistry  and  physiology,  which  seem  to  have  been 


VI  PREFATORY. 

overlooked,  both  by  the  enemies  and  the  friends  of  this  doctrine, 
seems  to  me  quite  conclusive.  Yet  as  I  have  met  with  it  in  no 
writer,  I  ought  not  to  be  over  confident  in  its  validity. 

The  drawings  attached  are  intended  to  give  a  more  accurate  idea 
of  some  of  the  phenomena  described  than  mere  words  can  do.  They 
are  not  caricatures,  or  exaggeration  ;  but  fall  below  the  reality.  They 
are  a  novel  appendage  to  sermons ;  but  I  hope  they  may  aid  in 
deepening  the  religious  effect  of  the  sentiments. 

AMHERST  COLLEGE,  SEPT.  1,  1849. 


CONTENTS. 


LECTURE  I. 

The  Resurrections  of  Spring,      -  Page  9 

LECTURE  II. 
The  Triumphal  Arch  of  Summer,  -  57 

LECTURE  III. 
The  Euthanasia  of  Autumn,  -  81 

LECTURE  IV. 
The  Coronation  of  Winter,  -  107 

ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Emblems  of  the  Resurrection,  Frontispiece. 

The  Triumphal  Arch  of  Summer,    -  57 

Autumnal  Scenery,  -         81 


THE  RESURRECTIONS  OF  SPRING. 


BUT  SOME  MAN  WILL  SAY,  HOW  ARE  THE  DEAD  RAISED  UP  ?  AND 
WITH  WHAT  BODY  DO  THEY  COME  1  TllOU  FOOL,  THAT  WHICH 
THOU  SOWEST  IS  NOT  QUICKENED  EXCEPT  IT  DIE:  AND  THAT 
WHICH  THOU  SOWEST,  THOU  SOWEST  NOT  THAT  BODY  THAT 
SHALL  BE,  BUT  BARE  GRAIN,  IT  MAY  CHANCE  OF  WHEAT  OR 
OF  SOME  OTHER  GRAIN  :  BUT  GoD  GIVETH  IT  A  BODY  AS  IT 
HATH  PLEASED  HlM,  AND  TO  EVERY  SEED  HIS  OWN  BODY.— 

1  Corinthians  xv.  35 — 38. 

THE  resurrection  of  the  body  is  eminently  a  revealed 
doctrine.  After  its  announcement  in  the  bible,  philoso- 
phy does  indeed  point  us  to  interesting  examples  of  trans- 
formation in  the  natural  world,  which  some  have  consid- 
ered as  evidence  of  this  doctrine ;  but  they  are  rather  its 
symbols.  When  satisfied  of  its  truth,  on  the  testimony  of 
inspiration,  these  natural  changes  afford  beautiful  illustra- 
tions of  a  doctrine  so  delightful  to  contemplate :  But  the 
analogies  fail  in  some  of  the  most  important  points  :  and, 
therefore,  have  little  force  in  argument. 

On  the  other  hand,  however,  philosophy  has  ever  been 

2 


10  OBJECTIONS   TO   A  KESUKRECTION. 

ready  to  oppose  this  doctrine  with  what  it  regards  as  insu- 
perable difficulties.  The  most  prominent  one  is  referred  to 
in  the  text.  How  are  the  dead  raised  up,  and  with  what 
lody  do  they  come  ?  enquires  the  votary  of  science,  confi- 
dent that  his  objection  can  never  be  answered.  Men  de- 
posit the  bodies  of  their  friends  in  the  grave ;  but  do 
they  remain  there  ?  The  chemist  knows  full  well  that 
they  suffer  entire  decomposition,  and  that  the  ultimate 
elements  are  scattered  by  the  winds  and  the  waves,  and 
are  taken  up  by  other  bodies,  it  may  be  by  those  of  other 
men  ;  so  that  the  same  particles  may  enter  into  the  com- 
position of  a  multitude  of  human  beings.  How  then  can 
the  body,  which  is  laid  in  the  grave,  be  raised  ;  since  not 
even  Omnipotence  can  make  the  same  particles  a  part  of 
two  or  more  bodies  at  the  same  time. 

Prom  the  time  of  the  Mohammedan  philosopher  and  phy- 
sician, Avicenna,  to  the  recent  appearance  of  the  "  Anas- 
tasis"  of  a  distinguished  American  professor,  this  has  been 
the  leading  objection  to  man's  resurrection  :  and  at  first 
view  it  certainly  seems  very  strong.  The  subject  de- 
serves careful  examination  by  all  the  light,  which  the 
bible  and  philosophy  are  able  to  shed  upon  it.  And  the 
resurrections  of  nature  around  us,  at  this  interesting  sea- 
son of  the  year,  seem  to  turn  our  contemplations  natural- 
ly to  man's  final  deliverance  from  the  power  of  the  grave. 

I  shall  first  enquire,  what  is  the  scriptural  doctrine  of 
the  Resurrection. 


THERE    WILL    BE   A   KESURRECTION.  11 

Secondly,  enquire  whether  Natural  "Religion  opposes, 
or  illustrates  and  confirms  the  scripture  doctrine. 

And  thirdly,  enquire  what  symbolizations  of  the  resur- 
rection are  presented  in  nature  at  this  season  of  the  year. 

1.  What  then  is  the  scripture  doctrine  of  the  Resurrec- 
tion ? 

In  the  first  place,  the  bible  distinctly  announces  the  fact 
that  there  will  be  a  resurrection  of  the  dead  at  the  end  of 
the  world.  Marvel  not  at  this,  says  Christ,  for  the  hour  is 
coming  in  which  all  that  are  in  their  graves  shall  come 
forth,  they  that  have  done  good,  unto  the  resurrection  of 
life,  and  they  that  have  done  evil,  unto  the  resurrection  of 
damnation.  But  the  fullest  and  most  unequivocal  evi- 
dence of  a  resurrection  is  the  graphic  and  sublime  descrip- 
tion of  it  in  the  chapter  containing  the  text.  Now,  says 
the  apostle,  if  Christ  be  preached  that  he  rose  from  the 
dead,  how  say  some  among  you,  that  there  is  no  resurrec- 
tion of  the  dead?  But  if  there  be  no  resurrection  of  the 
dead,  then  is  Christ  not  risen.  But  now  is  Christ  risen 
from  the  dead  and  become  the  first  fruits  of  them  that  slept. 
And  this  resurrection  is  to  take  place,  according  to  Paul, 
at  the  coming  of  Christ.  Then  cometh  the  end,  says  he, 
when  he  shall  have  delivered  up  the  kingdom  to  God,  even 
the  Father. 

But  even  this  clear  and  decided  description  does  not 
convince  all  men  that  any  thing  will  be  actually  raised 
out  of  the  grave.  Some  maintain  that  such  Ian- 


12  THERE    WILL    BE   A    RESURRECTION. 

guage  is  used  in  accommodation  to  the  notions  of  the  ig- 
norant, who  look  upon  their  bodies  as  their  all,  and  could 
have  no  idea  of  a  pure  spirit.  Others  contend,  that  a  spir- 
itual body  is  eliminated  at  the  period  of  death,  and  accom- 
panies the  soul  in  its  unknown  aerial  flight.  But  such 
opinions  can  be  made  consistent  with  the  bible,  only  on 
the  rationalistic  principle  of  exegesis  called  accommoda- 
tion ;  which  means,  when  stated  plainly,  that  we  are  to 
consult  our  philosophy  as  to  what  the  bible  should  mean, 
rather  than  the  laws  of  grammatical  construction  to  learn 
what  it  does  mean.  If  language  can  teach  that  the  dead 
are  to  be  raised  out  of  their  graves,  then  the  bible  does 
teach  it ;  and  if  we  may  regard  the  statement  of  so  sim- 
ple a  fact  as  figurative,  or  modal,  there  is  no  other  fact 
stated  in  the  bible  which  may  not  be  viewed  in  the  same 
light,  and  thus  set  aside. 

2.  The  bible  represents  the  germ  of  the  resurrection  body 
as  proceeding  from  the  body  that  is  laid  in  the  grave. 

If  nothing  is  derived  from  the  grave,  or  from  the  body 
once  laid  there,  for  what  possible  reason  does  the  bible 
constantly  speak  of  a  resurrection  from  the  grave  ?  It 
could  serve  no  purpose  but  to  mislead  the  reader.  Nor 
can  any  reason  be  alleged  for  the  use  of  such  language. 
There  are  some  subjects  treated  of  in  the  bible,  so  entire- 
ly removed  from  our  knowledge,  that  a  clear  description 
of  them  cannot  be  given  ;  as,  for  instance,  Paul's  account 
of  the  third  heavens.  But  surely,  it  were  easy  enough 


THE  GERM  OF  THE  RESURRECTION  BODY.      13 

to  say  whether  any  thing  laid  in  the  grave  is  raised  from 
it.  If  not,  how  can  we  vindicate  the  author  of  the  bible 
from  teaching  ignorant  man  a  falsehood  ? 

But  the  text  settles  this  point,  if  general  considerations 
do  not.  The  apostle  selects  a  specific  example  from  the 
vegetable  kingdom,  to  answer  the  infidel's  objection,  with 
what  body  do  they  come  ?  He  supposes  a  kind  of  wheat 
placed  in  the  earth,  where  it  seems  for  a  time  to  be  dy- 
ing ;  and  indeed,  everything  does  decay  except  the  mi- 
nute germ  which  springs  forth  from,  and  is  nourished  by, 
the  decaying  cotyledon.  The  ascending  plumule,  making 
its  way  to  the  air,  and  the  descending  radicle,  spreading  in 
the  soil,  draw  in  nourishment  from  these  two  sources,  and 
the  expanding  stalk  becomes  independent  of  the  seed  ;  and 
we  see  in  it  no  resemblance  to  the  seed.  Yet  that  seed  was 
indispensable  to  its  germination.  Just  so,  the  apostle 
would  have  us  understand,  does  the  resurrection  body 
arise  from  that  which  was  laid  in  the  grave.  To  sup- 
pose that  no  such  relation  exists  between  them,  and  that 
nothing  in  fact  is  derived  from  the  grave,  is  to  do  away 
entirely  with  the  force  of  this  beautiful  illustration. 

3.  The  bible  represents  our  present  organization  as  not 
existing  in  the  resurrection  body. 

Flesh  and  bloody  says  Paul,  cannot  inherit  the  kingdom 
of  God.  They,  says  Christ,  which  shall  be  accounted 
worthy  to  obtain  that  world  and  the  resurrection  from  the 
dead,  neither  marry  nor  are  given  in  marriage :  neither 

2* 


14   '  ORGANIZATION   DESTROYED. 

can  they  die  any  more,  for  they  are  equal  unto  the  angels. 
The  employments  and  enjoyments  of  heaven  are  also  rep- 
resented as  wholly  spiritual,  although  sometimes  describ- 
ed, from  tlie  poverty  of  human  language,  by  a  reference 
to  material  objects  and  processes.  Christ  represented  it 
to  his  disciples  as  sufficient  proof  of  his  being  really  a 
man,  and  not  a  spirit  after  his  resurrection,  that  he  had 
flesh  and  bones,  and  could  eat  and  drink. 

Now  all  such  representations  clearly  show  that  not  any 
thing  of  our  present  organization  will  survive  the  grave. 
This  too  is  demonstrated  by  the  fact  that  the  resurrection 
body  will  be  incorruptible  :  an  immunity  impossible  with 
such  bodies  as  we  now  possess. 

It  may  be  objected  here,  that  the  body,  in  which  Christ 
appeared  after  his  resurrection,  was  similar  to  that  of  all 
men.  He  repeatedly  ate  and  drank,  and  declared  him- 
self to  be  composed  of  flesh  and  bones,  and  invited  his 
disciples  to  reach  forth  their  hands  and  learn  by  the 
sense  of  touch,  as  well  as  sight,  that  his  was  the  same 
body  that  hung  on  the  cross,  with  the  print  of  the  nails 
still  in  his  hands,  and  of  the  spear  in  his  side.  We  have 
similar  evidence  in  the  cases  of  Lazarus,  of  Jairus' 
daughter,  of  Dorcas,  of  the  young  man  of  Nain  and  of 
Eutychus  ;  their  bodies  after  their  animation  had  the  same 
organization  as  before  their  death. 

These  statements  are  undoubtedly  correct :  But  there 
is  abundant  reason  to  believe  that  the  resurrection  bodies 


CHRIST'S  RESURRECTION  BODY.  15 

both  of  Christ  and  of  Lazarus  were  the  same  as  were  laid 
in  the  tomb,  reanimated  before  decomposition.  In  both 
cases  we  know  that  the  bodies  laid  in  the  grave  disappear- 
ed from  thence,  and  were  seen  by  their  friends  revivified. 
In  the  case  of  Christ,  although  some  appear  to  have 
doubted  for  a  time,  yet  when  they  saw  the  print  of  the 
nails  and  of  the  spear,  and  heard  the  voice,  they  were  sat- 
isfied of  the  reality  of  the  revivification,  and  exclaimed 
niy  Lord  and  my  God.  And  if  ecclesiastical  history  may 
be  credited,  Lazarus  survived  this  resurrection  many 
years.  There  is  every  reason,  therefore,  to  believe,  that 
neither  Christ  nor  Lazarus  assumed  spiritual  bodies  at 
the  time  of  their  resurrection,  and  no  one  will  contend 
that,  in  the  other  cases  referred  to,  there  was  any  thing 
more  than  a  revivification  of  bodies  but  recently  deprived 
of  life.  That  Christ  should  have  received  his  glorious 
body  when  he  ascended  to  heaven,  is  as  probable  as  that 
those  who  may  be  alive  at  his  coming  shall  in  like  man- 
ner be  changed,  and  the  mortal  put  on  immortality. 
Hence  then,  in  our  reasonings  about  the  spiritual  body, 
we  are  to  leave  entirely  out  of  the  account  the  case  of 
Christ,  of  Lazarus,  and  the  others  miraculously  restored 
to  life  in  the  times  of  Christ  and  his  apostles.  For  these 
were  natural  bodies,  not  spiritual. 

4.  The  scriptures  represent  the  difference  between  our 
present  bodies  and  the  spiritual  or  resurrection  body  to  be 
very  great. 


16  PRESENT  AND  FUTURE  BODIES  COMPARED. 

The  text  makes  it  certain  that  this  difference  may  be  as 
great  as  that  between  a  seed  and  the  full  grown  plant  that 
proceeds  from  it.  That  which  thou  soivest,  thou  sowest  not 
that  body  that  shall  be,  but  bare  grain,  it  may  chance  of 
wheat,  or  of  some  other  grain  :  but  God  giveth  it  a  body  as 
it  hath  pleased  him-  Take  now  a  kernel  of  wheat,  and 
with  the  naked  eye  what  resemblance  will  you  see  in  it  to 
the  full  grown  plant  ?  True,  the  vegetable  physiologist 
will  tell  us,  that  powerful  glasses  may  discover  in  that 
seed  an  embryo  of  the  future  plant,  which  only  needs  de- 
velopment. But  to  the  unaided  eye  there  is  scarcely  any 
resemblance  between  the  two  :  And  in  many  other  seeds 
that  resemblance  is  still  less. 

Now  from  this  illustration  we  are  permitted  to  infer  as 
great  a  want  of  resemblance  between  our  present  and  fu- 
ture bodies,  as  the  seed  and  the  plant  it  produces  exhibit. 
True,  had  we  angelic  vision,  we  might  perhaps  discern 
the  germ  of  the  spiritual  body  coiled  up  in  our  present  or- 
ganization. But  with  our  present  means  of  knowledge, 
we  can  make  no  such  discovery,  nor  could  we  probably 
find  any  external  resemblance  between  the  natural  and 
spiritual  body,  had  we  the  means  of  comparing  them  to- 
gether. We  are  justified  in  supposing  the  greatest  possi- 
ble difference,  which  can  exist  between  matter  in  its  most 
diverse  forms. 

Look  at  the  subject  in  another  point  of  view.  Consider 
how  few  particles  of  the  seed  enter  into  the  composition 


THE    SPIRITUAL    BODY.  17 

of  the  plant  that  springs  from  it.  Compare,  for  instance, 
a  forest  tree,  weighing  many  tons,  with  the  seed,  weighing 
a  few  grains,  from  which  it  sprang  ;  and  then  recollect, 
also,  that  only  a  small  part  of  the  seed  finds  its  way  into 
the  future  plant ;  and  we  may  safely  say,  that  the  propor- 
tion between  the  particles  derived  from  the  seed  and  from 
other  sources  is  only  as  one  to  a  million.  Yet  the  text 
justifies  us  in  the  conclusion  that  equally  small  may  be  the 
proportion  of  the  particles  derived  from  our  present  bodies, 
in  the  resurection  body.  If  only  a  millionth  part,  or  a 
ten  thousand  millionth  part,  of  the  matter  deposited  in 
the  grave,  shall  be  raised  from  thence,  it  justifies  the  rep- 
resentations of  scripture,  that  there  will  be  a  resurrection 
of  the  dead.  And  why  may  we  not  suppose,  that  amid 
all  the  transmutations  which  the  dead  body  may  undergo, 
some  infinitesimal  germ  may  be  watched  over  by  omnis- 
cience, and  by  omnipotence  at  length  be  made  to  con- 
stitute the  germ  of  the  spiritual  body  ? 

5.  The  scriptures  represent  the  spiritual  body  as  possess- 
ing a  specific  and  individual  identify. 

By  this  I  mean,  that  it  will  possess  characteristics  which 
mark  it  off  distinctly  from  every  other  created  thing :  as 
the  different  species  and  individuals  of  animals  and  plants 
are  marked  off  from  one  another  in  the  world.  This  very 
important  principle  appears  to  me,  in  a  great  degree,  to 
have  been  overlooked  by  commentators  ;  and  yet  it  seems 
clearly  taught  in  the  text  and  context.  In  the  passage 


18  POSSESSES    IDENTITY. 

already  quoted,  it  is  said,  that  Godgiveth  to  the  plant  that 
springs  from  the  wheat,  or  other  seed  sown,  a  body  as  it 
hath  pleased  him,  and  to  every  seed  his  own  body  ;  that  is, 
a  peculiar  body,  one  marked  off  from  every  other.  The 
apostle  proceeds  to  illustrate  this  statement,  as  if  it  were 
a  point  of  great  importance.  All  flesh,  says  he,  is  not  the 
same  flesh  ;  but  there  is  one  kind  of  flesh  of  men,  another 
flesh  of  beasts,  another  of  flshes,  and  another  of  birds. 
He  proceeded  to  state  the  same  fact  respecting  inorganic 
bodies :  There  are  also  celestial  bodies,  and  bodies  terrestri- 
al :  but  the  glory  of  the  celestial  is  one,  and  the  glory  of  the 
terrestrial  is  another.  There  is  one  glory  of  the  sun,  and 
another  glory  of  the  moon,  and  another  glory  of  the  stars  ; 
for  one  star  dijfereth  from  another  star  in  glory.  So  also, 
he  adds,  is  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.  The  bible  com- 
monly uses  language  in  its  popular  sense ;  but  in  this  pas- 
sage we  have  a  nearer  approach  to  the  precise  language 
of  natural  science,  in  its  descriptions  of  the  specific  differ- 
ences of  different  objecfs.  True,  Paul  describes  only 
differences  between  different  tribes  of  animals ;  though  in 
describing  inorganic  bodies,  as  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars, 
he  refers  to  the  characters  of  species.  He  shows  us  that 
each  object  and  species  in  nature,  has  certain  characters, 
which  distinguish  it  from  every  other  object  and  species. 
And  when  he  adds,  so  also  is  the  resurrection  of  the  dead, 
he  teaches  that  there  will  be  a  peculiarity  of  character 
that  will  discriminate  between  the  resurrection  body  and 


IDENTITY    OF   THE    SPIRITUAL    BODY.  19 

every  thing  else.  Nay,  it  appears  to  me  that  we  may  go 
farther,  and  say,  that  he  teaches,  by  implication  at  least, 
that  even  individual  peculiarities  will  exist  in  a  future 
world.  For  that  same  great  law  of  fixed  diversity,  on 
which  he  bases  his  statements  as  to  men,  beasts,  fishes, 
and  birds,  does  here  on  earth  extend  to  individuals.  They 
have  natural  peculiarities  by  which  they  are  marked  off 
from  one  another,  in  almost  every  case  with  great  ease 
and  precision.  The  fair  implication  is,  that  so  will  it  be 
in  a  future  world.  True,  our  present  organization  will 
not  exist  there ;  but  this  does  not  imply  that  there  will  be 
no  organization.  Nay,  the  more  perfect  and  exalted 
character  of  that  state  would  rather  teach  us  that  the  fu- 
ture organization  will  be  far  more  exquisite  and  wonder- 
ful than  the  present ;  and  hence  it  would  be  strange  if 
there  should  not  also  be  still  more  marked  peculiarities,  by 
which  each  individual  should  be  clearly  known  from  all 
others.  An  interesting  application  of  this  principle,  I 
leave  to  another  part  of  this  discourse. 

6.  The  scriptures  present  us  with  several  characteristics 
of  the  spiritual  or  resurrection  body. 

The  term  spiritual  body^  is  peculiar  to  Paul,  and  chosen 
probably  because  it  comes  as  near  to  giving  an  idea  of  the 
resurrection  body,  as  human  language  admits;  not  be- 
cause it  gives  a  full  idea  of  that  body.  Numerous  at- 
tempts have  been  made  to  define  this  term.  It  cannot 
mean  that  the  future  body  will  be  spirit ;  for  then  it  would 


20  CHARACTERISTICS    OF   THE 

not  differ  from  the  soul.  It  must  be  material,  therefore, 
unless  there  be  in  the  universe  a  third  substance,  which 
is  neither  matter  nor  spirit.  But  if  it  be  material,  why  is 
it  called  spiritual  ?  Probably  the  term  implies  purity  and 
dignity,  in  contrast  with  the  natural  body,  which  is  gross 
and  sensual.  It  may  be  thus  termed,  also,  because  it  pos- 
sesses inherent  immortality,  and  is  a  congenial  residence 
for  the  undying  soul.  But  though  difficult  to  define,  the 
scriptures  have  given  us  several  of  its  characters,  from 
which  we  obtain  an  exalted  and  pleasing  idea  of  its  na- 
ture. These  characters  are  presented  by  way  of  contrast 
to  our  present  bodies. 

1.  The  spiritual  body  is  represented  as  endowed  with 
great  power  and  activity.  It  is  soivn  in  weakness,  it  is 
raised  in  power,  says  the  apostle  :  and  if,  as  we  may  rea- 
sonably suppose,  angels  possess  similar  bodies,  we  might 
appeal  to  the  biblical  descriptions  of  their  active  and  pow- 
erful movements,  to  illustrate  this  position.  Says  the 
Psalmist,  Bless  the  Lord,  ye  his  angels,  that  excel  in 
strength ;  and  John  speaks  of  a  mighty  angel  coming 
down  from  heaven,  who  laid  hold  on  the  old  serpent  and 
bound  him  a  thousand  years  ;  and  the  ascription  of  wings 
to  cherubim  and  seraphim,  implies  the  power  of  rapid 
motion ;  so  perhaps  the  poet  hardly  exceeds  the  literal 
truth,  when  he  says  of  the  angels,  that  in  their  war  with 
apostate  spirits  they 


BEAUTIFUL   AND    GLORIOUS.  21 

Pluck  up  the  seated  hills  with  all  their  load, 
Rocks,  waters,  woods,  and  by  the  shaggy  tops 
Uplifted  bear  them  in  their  hands. 

Now  there  is  every  reason  to  presume  that  future  glori- 
fied saints  will  possess  similar  power  and  activity:  for 
they  are  said  to  be  like  the  angels,  and  to  be  equal  to  the 
angels. 

2.  The  spiritual  body  will  be  beautiful  and  glorious. 
It  is  sown  in  dishonor,  it  is  raised  in  glory.  It  will  also 
resemble  Christ's  glorified  body.  Who  shall  change  our 
vile  body,  says  Paul,  and  fashion  it  like  unto  his  glorious 
body,  according  to  the  working  whereby  he  is  able  to  subdue 
all  things  unto  himself.  In  Revelation  we  have  a  figura- 
tive description  of  the  Son  of  Man,  that  gives  us  an  idea 
of  surpassing  glory  :  he  was  clothed  with  a  garment  down 
to  the  foot,  and  girt  about  the  paps  with  a  golden  girdle. 
His  head  and  his  hairs  were  white  like  wool,  as  white  as 
snow :  and  his  eyes  were  as  aflame  of  fire.  And  his  feet 
like  unto  fine  brass,  as  if  they  burned  in  a  furnace.  And 
his  voice  as  the  the  sound  of  many  waters.  And  he  had  in 
his  right  hand  seven  stars,  and  out  of  his  mouth  went  a 
sharp  two  edged  sword.  And  Ms  countenance  was  as  the 
sun  shineth  in  his  strength.  And  when  1  saw  him,  I  fell 
at  his  feet  as  dead.  Oh  if  such  a  glory  shall  surround  the 
resurrection  body  of  the  saints,  what  a  contrast  to  the 
loathsome  and  deformed  mass  which  is  deposited  in  the 
grave !  No  wonder  that  the  transformation  demands  that 


22  INCORRUPTIBLE   AND    IMMORTAL. 

power  in  Christ,  by  which  he  is  able  to  subdue  all  things 
unto  himself. 

3.  The  spiritual  body  will  be  incorruptible  and  immor- 
tal.    It  is  sown  in  corruption,  it  is  raised  in  incorrup- 
tion ;    this  corruptible   must  put   on   incomiption,    and 
this  mortal  must  put  on  immortality.     In  such  a  world 
as  this,  we  see  no  organic  being  able   to  resist    all  ten- 
dency    to    decay,   and   all    mechanical    violence :    and 
hence  we  may  be  unable  to  understand,  how  a  material 
organization  can  remain  unaffected  by  all  chemical  and 
mechanical  agencies.     But  it  is  only  a  narrow  mind,  that 
supposes  it  understands  all  the  possible  modifications  of 
matter ;  and,  indeed,  we  do  know  probably  a  substance 
in  existing  nature,  which  no  such  agencies  can  change  : 
But  more  of  this  in  another  place. 

Although,  therefore,  we  have  but  an  imperfect  idea  of 
the  spiritual  body,  the  bible  does  so  describe  its  character- 
istics, as  to  lead  to  exalted  conceptions  of  its  nature  and 
glory.  Indeed,  the  scriptures  probably  give  us  all  the  in- 
formation concerning  it,  which  is  important,  and  which  in 
our  present  state  we  are  able  to  understand. 

4.  The  scriptures  teach,  that  the  living  at  the  last  day, 
will  have  their  natural  bodies  changed  into  spiritual. 

Behold,  says  Paul,  I  show  you  a  mystery  ;  we  shall  not 
all  sleep  ;  but  we  shall  all  be  changed ;  in  a  moment,  in  the 
twinkling  of  an  eye,  at  the  last  trump :  for  the  trumpet 
shall  sound  and  the  dead  shall  be  raised  incorruptible,  and 


CHANGE   AT    THE   LAST   DAY.  23 

tve  shall  be  changed.  And  the  bible  has  given  us  a  few  ex-? 
amples  of  this  sudden  and  astonishing  transformation.  It 
was  experienced  by  Christ,  when  he  was  taken  up  and  a 
cloud  received  him  out  of  sight.  It  passed  over  Elijah 
also,  when  there  appeared  a  chariot  of  fire  and  horses  of 
fire,  and  he  went  up  by  a  whirlwind  into  heaven.  Enoch 
too  was  translated  that  he  should  not  see  death.  In  all 
these  cases  philosophy  would  gladly  interpose  a  thousand 
questions,  and  try  to  ascertain  whether  there  be  in  this 
world  any  thing  analogous  to  such  a  surprising  transfor- 
mation, or  whether  it  is  to  be  resolved  entirely  into  the 
special  omnipotent  agency  of  Deity.  But  to  all  her  en-> 
quiries  the  bible  is  silent,  and  she  has  only  to  acquiesce 
in  the  conclusion,  that  the  whole  process  is  miraculous, 
and  can  be  understood  only  when  we  stand  upon  the  van- 
tage ground  and  in  the  clearer  light  of  eternity. 

Such,  if  I  mistake  not,  are  the  scriptural  views  of  the 
resurrection.  Does  natural  religion  oppose,  or  illustrate 
and  confirm,  any  of  these  statements  ?  This  is  the  sec- 
ond point  to  which  we  shall  direct  your  attention. 

1.  In  the  first  place,  philosophy  shows  us,  that  the  iden* 
tity  between  the  present  and  the  resurrection  body,  cannot 
be  an  identity  of  particles,  or  of  organization* 

The  chemist  can  demonstrate,  that  the  body  laid  in  the 
grave  is  decomposed  into  its  ultimate  elements,  and  that 
these,  by  almost  endless  transmutations,  pass  through,  or 
rather  constitute,  a  part  of  other  bodies ;  so  that  the  suc^ 


24  IDENTITY    NOT    OF    PARTICLES, 

cessive  races  of  men  that  appear  on  the  globe,  consist,  at 
least  in  part,  of  the  same  particles  which  entered  into  the 
composition  of  their  progenitors.  This  makes  it  physical- 
ly impossible  that  the  identical  particles  or  atoms,  which 
constitute  the  body  laid  in  the  grave,  should  belong  to  the 
resurrection  body  as  a  whole. 

Physiology,  also,  corresponds  with  the  bible  in  show- 
ing that  the  spiritual  body  must  be  differently  organized 
from  the  natural  body.  For  with  our  present  organs,  the 
body  is  necessarily  subject  to  decay  and  dissolution.  It 
could  not  be  immortal  and  free  from  suffering  without  a 
constant  miracle  to  guard  it  against  mechanical  violence 
and  chemical  disorganization.  Its  future  organization 
may  be  more  wonderful  than  at  present ;  still  it  must  be 
widely  different,  to  make  it  immortal  and  incorruptible. 

2.  Philosophy  shows  us^  that  sameness  of  chemical  com- 
position and  idiosyncrasy  of  form  and  structure  are  all 
that  is  essential  to  personal  corporeal  identity. 

"What  is  it  that  constitutes  bodily  identity  in  this 
world  ?  Suppose  a  person  born  in  this  country,  after  liv- 
ing here  twenty  years,  to  go  to  China  for  a  permanent 
residence.  Now  as  we  have  reason  to  suppose  that  the 
entire  particles  of  which  a  man  is  composed  change  every 
few  years,  this  individual,  after  residing  ten  years  in 
China,  will  not  probably  retain  in  his  composition  a  sin- 
gle particle  of  the  body  which  he  acquired  in  America. 
But  he  is  still  the  same  man,  and  why  ?  Because  his  body 


BUT   OF    CHEMICAL    COMPOSITION.  25 

is  made  up  of  the  same  kinds  of  elementary  matter  com- 
bined in  the  same  proportion  as  in  America,  and  has  the 
same  form  and  structure.  And  it  matters  not  whence 
the  elements  of  a  compound  are  derived,  whether  from 
China,  or  the  United  States ;  if  they  are  only  united  in 
the  same  proportion,  they  will  constitute  exactly  the  same 
substance.  Thus,  it  can  make  no  difference  from  what 
source  the  oxygen  and  hydrogen  are  obtained,  that  form 
water.  It  will  be  identically  the  same  substance,  though, 
its  elements  come  from  the  antipodes.  So  it  is  with  the 
oxygen,  hydrogen,  carbon,  nitrogen,  phosphorus,  and 
lime,  that  make  up  the  human  system.  The  essential 
thing,  that  makes  them  the  flesh  and  bones  of  a  man,  is 
their  combination  in  a  certain  definite  proportion.  And 
though  there  may  be  a  constant  loss  of  individual  parti- 
cles, yet  if  their  place  is  supplied  with  others  of  the  same 
kind,  no  matter  whence  they  came,  they  will  maintain 
the  identity  of  the  body,  if  combined  in  the  proper  prcn 
portion :  for  it  is  essentially  the  chemical  composition, 
not  the  identity  of  particles,  that  continues  a  man  the 
same  from  year  to  year. 

The  chemist,  however,  may  doubt  whether  the  flesh  of 
man  can  be  distinguished  from  that  of  beasts  by  its  chem- 
ical composition  alone ;  although  there  do  exist  slight  dif- 
ferences in  this  respect  between  all  classes  of  animals. 
But  between  man  and  quadrupeds,  they  are  less  than  be- 
tween man  and  birds  and  fishes.  "We  are  obliged,  there-- 

a* 


26  SPIRITUAL   BODY 

fore,  to  add  other  characters  in  order  to  distinguish  man 
from  other  animals,  and  individual  men  from  one  another. 
We  say,  therefore,  that  in  order  to  identity,  there  must  be 
peculiarity  of  form  and  structure.  Sameness  of  chemical 
constitution,  at  all  periods  of  man's  existence,  is  the  prin- 
cipal internal  character  essential  to  identity ;  while  pecu- 
liarity of  form  and  structure  give  the  external  marks  by 
which  we  distinguish  families  and  individuals  from  one 
another.  And  very  probably,  when  Paul  says  that  the 
flesh  of  man  is  different  from  that  of  beasts,  he  uses  the 
language  not  in  a  strict  chemical  sense,  but  embraces 
structure  and  form,  as  well  as  composition. 

If  this  be  a  correct  view  of  what  constitutes  personal 
corporeal  identity  in  this  world,  it  is  obvious  to  remark, 
that  we  have  only  to  apply  it  to  the  resurrection  body,  in 
order  to  meet  satisfactorily  the  famous  objection  to  the 
resurrection  of  the  body,  that  its  particles  enter  into  the 
composition  of  several  bodies.  By  this  view,  it  is  not 
necessary  that  the  resurrection  body  should  contain  a  single 
particle  of  the  body  laid  in  the  grave,  if  it  only  contain 
particles  of  the  same  kind,  united  in  the  same  proportion, 
and  the  compound  be  made  to  assume  the  same  form  and 
structure  as  the  natural  body.  For  all  this  is  what  often 
happens  to  men  in  this  world,  without  exciting  a  suspicion 
that  the  identity  of  the  individual  is  endangered.  God 
may  give  to  the  man  raised  from  the  grave,  such  a  body 
as  pleases  him,  just  as  he  does  to  the  plant :  but  if  it  be 


MAY   BE    TOTALLY    UNLIKE  THE    PRESENT.  27 

only  composed  of  the  same  elements  in  the  same  propor- 
tion, and  have  a  peculiarity  of  form  and  structure,  its 
identity  with  the  individual  buried  will  be  preserved. 
Even  if  we  admit,  what  it  seems  to  me  the  bible  teaches, 
that  the  germ  of  the  resurrection  body  does  spring  from 
the  natural  body  in  the  grave,  it  does  not  weaken  the 
force  of  this  reply  to  the  sceptic's  objection.  For  that 
germ  may  not  contain  a  millionth  part  of  the  original  par- 
ticles in  the  natural  body ;  and  therefore,  no  one  can  say 
but  that  infinitesimal  portion  of  the  man  may  be  preser- 
ved by  Omniscience  and  Omnipotence,  disconnected  with 
everything  else,  and  be  ready  at  the  command  of  Jeho- 
vah, to  form  the  nucleus  of  the  spiritual  body. 

I  would  add,  that  since  the  subject  of  the  resurrection 
of  the  body  has  been  within  a  few  years  past  so  fully  dis- 
cussed by  able  men,  and  this  famous  objection  has  been 
the  grand  difficulty  in  the  way  of  a  literal  understanding 
of  the  inspired  declarations,  it  seems  strange,  I  say,  that 
this  simple  mode  of  meeting  the  difficulty  has  not  been 
suggested :  or  if  it  has  been,  the  fact  has  escaped  my  no- 
tice. 

3.  Philosophy  furnishes  us  an  example  of  attenuated 
matter,  which  appears  to  be  scarcely,  if  at  all,  affected  by 
mechanical  or  chemical  agencies- 

The  phenomena  of  light,  heat  and  electricity,  as  well 
as  the  history  of  several  comets,  make  it  almost  certain, 
that  there  exists,  diffused  through  every  part  of  the  mate- 


28  THE    LUMINIFEROUS    ETHER. 

rial  universe,  an  exceedingly  subtle  and  active  fluid,  some- 
times called  the  luminiferous  ether.  It  seems  to  be  the 
agent  by  which  light,  heat  and  electricity  are  transmitted 
by  undulations  in  every  direction,  with  inconceivable  ve- 
locity ;  not  less,  than  200,000  miles  per  second.  It  exists 
wherever  light,  heat  and  electricity  penetrate ;  and,  there- 
fore, it  is  found,  not  only  in  what  we  call  empty  space, 
but  in  the  most  solid  bodies  ;  since  they  are  more  or  less 
permeated  by  these  agents.  There  is  no  evidence  that 
this  ether  possesses  weight,  though  it  has  the  power  of 
resistance,  since  it  obstructs  the  movements  of  several 
comets.  No  force,  which  the  mechanician  or  the  chemist 
can  exert,  has  the  least  effect  upon  it.  Nor  is  it  cogniza- 
ble by  any  of  the  senses  :  and  yet  certain  phenomena  in- 
dicate its  existence  and  prodigious  activity. 

Now  without  asserting  that  the  spiritual  body  is  made 
up  of  the  luminiferous  ether,  or  of  a  substance  analogous 
to  it,  it  is  interesting  that  we  have  evidence  of  the  exist- 
ence of  such  a  substance  in  nature,  and  great  reason  to 
believe  it  to  be  attenuated  matter.  Reasoning  on  the 
subject,  we  should  presume  that  the  future  body  would 
be  of  such  a  nature  as  to  be  unaffected  by  mechanical  or 
chemical  action  ;  and  which  might  exist  with  equal  free- 
dom, and  without  change,  in  the  midst  of  the  sun,  or  the 
volcano,  or  in  the  polar  ice  :  and  yet  that  it  would  possess 
great  activity  and  energy  ;  and  such  a  substance  we  have 
before  us  in  this  universal  ether.  Of  such  a  substance, 


GERM   FROM    THE    GRAVE.  29 

therefore,  the  spiritual  body  may  be  composed,  or  of  some- 
thing analogous  to  it. 

4.  Finally,  philosophy  cannot  show  that  the  germ  of  the 
future  spiritual  body  will  not  arise  from  the  grave. 

Suppose  that  germ  to  consist  of  the  subtle  fluid  that 
has  been  described.  Since  this  can  be  made  cognizable 
by  none  of  the  senses,  nor  by  any  other  means,  how  do 
we  know  but  it  may  be  attached  to  the  sleeping  dust,  or 
accompany  that  dust  wherever  it  may  be  scattered. 
What  though  the  grosser  particles  of  the  body  may  be 
decomposed  and  scattered  to  the  ends  of  the  earth,  and 
assume  new  forms  of  organism :  yet  who  knows  but  a 
portion  of  this  wonderful  form  of  matter,  connected  with 
the  body  in  this  world,  may  remain  isolated  till  the  resur- 
rection morning,  and  await  the  Divine  summons  to  be  re- 
united with  the  immortal  spirit.  With  the  facts  respect- 
ing the  ether  in  mind,  shall  we  undertake  to  prove  this 
impossible  ?  It  must  be  a  superficial  philosophy  that  will 
take  up  such  a  gauntlet.  And  yet  how  often  has  such  a 
philosophy  put  the  question,  how  are  the  dead  raised  up  $ 
and  with  what  body  do  they  come  ? 

Natural  theology,  then,  as  it  seems  to  me,  harmonizes 
fully  with  the  revealed  doctrine  of  the  resurrection  ;  nay, 
it  throws  some  light  on  the  meaning  of  scripture,  and 
silences  the  sceptical  objection.  We  need  not,  therefore, 
abandon  this  animating  doctrine,  or  torture  the  language 


30  LIFE   FROM    DEATH. 

of  the  bible,  till  it  tells  us  that  the  resurrection  is  already 
past. 

It  only  remains,  in  the  third  place,  that  we  point  out 
some  symbolizations  of  the  resurrection,  in  the  phenome- 
na of  spring.  It  may  be  thought  that  this  part  of  my 
subject  can  hardly  be  derived  from  the  text.  True,  it  is 
only  the  germination  and  development  of  the  vegetable 
world  that  are  alluded  to  m  the  passage.  But  to  bring 
the  developments  of  the  animal  kingdom  into  the  same 
category,  is  surely  no  violation  of  logic  ;  since  it  is  only 
extending  to  the  whole  organic  world,  what  the  scrip- 
tures predicate  of  a  part. 

1 .  In  the  first  place,  spring  presents  us  with  numerous 
examples  of  life  emerging  from  apparent  death. 

Had  we  no  experience  of  the  effects  of  spring,  we  could 
not  imagine,  during  the  winter  months  of  such  a  climate 
as  ours,  that  leaves,  and  flowers,  and  fruit,  would  ever 
clothe  the  barren  trees,  or  a  green  carpet  again  cover  the 
earth,  or  the  air,  the  earth  and  the  waters  swarm  with 
animal  life.  And  when  we  should  witness  the  ten  thou- 
sand forms  of  vegetable  and  animal  existence,  which  the 
genial  influences  of  spring  develope,  it  would  seem  almost 
as  if  a  new  creation  had  taken  place.  Experience,  indeed, 
and  the  aid  of  the  microscope,  enable  us  to  discover  evi- 
dences of  vitality,  where,  to  common  observation,  nature 
seems  bound  only  in  icy  fetters.  Yet  without  such  aids, 


SCENES    AT    THE    RESURRECTION.  31 

all  the  developments  of  spring  would  seem  to  be  made 
on  the  bosom  of  death. 

Just  so  it  is  with  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.     Go  to 
their  burial  place,  and  see  if  among  the  great  congrega- 
tion that  lie  side  by  side  beneath  the  soil,  you  can  discov- 
er any  signs  of  life.     You  call,  but  there  is  no  answer : 
you  remove  three  ,feet  of  earth ;  but  you  shrink  back  hor- 
rified at  the  corruption  that  riots  there  upon  all  ages  and 
all  classes.     Yet  when  the  last  trumpet  shall  sound,  that 
whole  surface  shall  become  instinct  with  life,  and  corrup- 
tion shall  put  on  incorruption.     Go  if  you  will  and  trav- 
erse the  ten  thousand  battle  fields,  that  have  been  the 
vast  slaughtering  places  of  man,  from  Nimrod  to  Bona- 
parte ;  and  all  is  silence  and  solitude  over  the  graves  of 
these  millions.     But  how  changed  the  scene  on  the  resur- 
rection morning !     Then  not  less  than  one  thousand  mil- 
lions of  human  bepgs  shall  start  up  from  these  battle 
fields,  and  crowd  upwards  to  the  judgment  seat.     What 
vast  multitudes  too,  shall  ascend  from  the  site  of  such  an- 
cient cities  as  Nineveh,  and  Babylon,  and  Thebes,  and 
Palmyra,  and  a  hundred  other  great  centers  of  population, 
now  the  seat  of  solitude  and  desolation.     Think  of  Jeru- 
salem, which  for  more  than  2000  years  has  been  the  great 
central  slaughter  house  of  the  world  ;  where  human  relics, 
and   comminuted  dwellings  have  accumulated  on  the  sur- 
face to  the  depth  of  40  or  50  feet,  and  the  whole  has  been 
soaked  a  thousand  times  with  blood,  Oh  think  of  the  scene, 


32  CHANGES    OF    STRUCTURE. 

when  the  millions  that  lie  buried  there,  shall  start  into 
life  at  the  shout  of  the  descending  Judge  and  the  archan- 
gel's voice.  From  the  sea's  broad  surface,  too,  what  mul- 
titudes shall  be  seen  ascending  to  be  judged  according  to 
the  deeds  done  in  the  body.  Indeed,  when  we  remember 
that  probably  as  many  as  ten  billions  of  human  beings 
have  already  dwelt  upon  this  globe,  reasonably  may  we 
enquire,  from  what  portion  of  its  surface,  will  not  myriads 
start  into  life  at  the  final  summons  ? 

2.  In  the  second  place  spring  presents  us  with  marvellous 
developments  of  structure  and  changes  of  condition  in  the 
organic  world. 

As  we  look  abroad  over  the  unfolding  landscape  of 
spring,  how  should  we  be  struck  with  the  contrast,  could 
all  the  seeds  producing  the  vegetation  of  that  landscape 
be  laid  before  us!  Who,  by  looking  at  the  seed,  could 
once  in  a  thousand  times  predict  the  qj^racter  of  the  plant 
that  would  spring  from  it ;  or  trace  out  any  analogy  be- 
tween them  ?  That  such  an  analogy  exists,  I  admit ;  but 
vernal  developments  can  alone  show  us  what  it  is ;  and 
we  are  often  amazed  and  delighted  by  these  develop- 
ments. And  the  wonder  rises  higher  as  our  instruments 
of  examination  are  more  perfect.  There  is,  indeed,  more 
simplicity  of  structure  in  the  vegetable  than  the  animal 
frame.  But  the  organs  are  minute  and  complicated 
enough  in  the  former,  to  set  at  defiance  the  powers  of  the 
microscope ;  or  rather,  there  are  wonders  in  the  vegeta- 


TRANSFORMATIONS   OP   ANIMALS.  33 

ble  structure,  which  lie  beyond  the  reach  of  that  instru- 
ment. And  yet,  how  easily  are  they  all  unfolded  when 
spring  applies  to  the  vegetable  world  her  transmuting 
touch. 

But  the  changes  among  animals  which  spring  devel- 
opes,  are  still  more  striking,  and  analogous  to  those  of  the 
future  resurrection.  At  that  time,  many  of  the  animals 
that  have  lain  during  the  winter  months  in  a  state  of  tor- 
pidity, hardly  to  be  distinguished  from  death,  begin  to 
show  signs  of  returning  vitality,  and  soon  assume  thd 
whole  activity  of  their  natures,  and  enter  upon  a  new 
scene  of  enjoyment.  Many  too,  not  entirely  torpid,  pass 
through  transformations  which  bring  them  into  states  of 
existence  so  different  from  all  former  ones,  that  it  must 
seem  to  them  almost  a  new  creation.  Indeed^  almost  up 
to  the  present  time,  they  have  been  regarded  by  the 
ablest  naturalists  as  different  species  of  animals,  and  even 
as  belonging  to  different  classes  in  their  different  states. 
In  fact  could  they  answer  the  question  themselves,  they 
would  probably  testify  that  their  experience  in  one  state  is 
totally  diverse  from  their  experience  in  every  other  state. 
I  refer  to  those  cases  which  the  naturalists  denominate  al- 
ternate reproduction :  in  some  of  these  cases  the  whole 
series  of  transformations  is  not  completed  till  the  eighth 
or  ninth  generation :  that  is,  it  is  only  in  the  eighth  or 
ninth  generation  that  the  perfect  animal  is  produced.  It 
is  in  the  spring,  also,  for  the  most  part,  that  we  witness 

4 


34  METAMORPHOSIS   OF   INSECTS. 

what  has  long  been  thought  an  illustration  of  this  subject ; 
I  mean  the  metamorphosis  of  insects.  Enveloped  in  his 
silken  shroud,  the  chrysalis  has  passed  the  wintry  months 
in  some  obscure  spot,  apparently  almost  as  lifeless  aa 
man  in  the  grave.  But  in  the  vernal  season  it  bursts 
from  its  prison,  endowed  with  new  life  and  beauty.  It 
entered  its  narrow  tomb  an  unsightly  worm ;  but  it 
comes  forth  a  perfect  insect,  with  splendid  colors  and 
strong  wings,  to  pass  through  a  season  of  great  activity 
and  apparently  of  high  enjoyment. 

Now  so  striking  is  the  analogy  between  these  metamor- 
phoses and  the  reanimation  of  man,  that  many  able  wri- 
ters on  natural  theology  have  considered  them  as  direct 
proof  of  his  future  resurrection.  But  unfortunately 
there  is  one  defect  in  the  analogy,  that  seems  to  have 
been  overlooked.  When  man  is  laid  in  the  grave,  we 
know  that  no  vestige  of  life  remains.  We  may  inflict 
whatever  injury  we  please  upon  the  dead  body,  but  it 
will  exhibit  no  signs  of  sensibility.  Not  so  with  the  chrys- 
alis. In  its  most  torpid  state,  you  can  always  find  marks 
of  vitality,  or  rather,  if  you  cannot  discover  signs  of  life, 
it  will  never  come  forth  as  a  perfect  insect.  The  con- 
clusion, therefore,  is,  that  the  curious  facts  respecting  in- 
sect metamorphosis,  although  a  beautiful  emblem  of  man's 
resurrection,  are  but  a  poor  argument  in  direct  proof  of 
the  doctrine.  They  do,  however,  show  us  in  what  widely 
different  states  the  same  animal  may  exist,  and  what  cu- 


MAN'S    TRANSFORMATION-  35 

iious  means  nature  has  provided,  by  which  they  may  pass 
from  one  of  those  states  into  another,  not  only  unharmed, 
but  with  higher  developments  of  beauty  and  richer 
means  of  enjoyment ;  all  this,  I  say,  does  afford  a  strong 
presumption  that  the  change  of  death  may  pass  upon  man 
with  no  other  effect  upon  his  interior  nature,  than  to  fit  it 
to  unfold  in  higher  perfection  in  eternity. 

And  every  thing  in  religion  and  philosophy  indicates  that 
man  will  come  forth  from  the  grave  with  a  body  vastly 
better  adapted  for  the  exercise  of  his  mental  and  moral 
powers  than  his  present  organization.  Indeed,  wonder- 
ful as  that  organization  is,  both  scripture  and  experience 
testify,  that  in  this  world,  because  it  is  a  state  of  sin  and 
death,  the  whole  creation  groaneth  and  traveleth  in  pain 
together.  In  this  tabernacle  man's  spirit  groans,  being 
burthened,  and  God  meant  it  to  be  in  a  fettered  and  in 
many  respects  an  uncongenial  state,  in  order  that  it  might 
wait  with  earnest  expectation  for  the  manifestation  of  the 
sons  of  God, — in  other  words,  for  the  adoption,  which 
the  apostle  declares  to  be,  the  redemption  of  the  body. 
Here,  it  is  a  natural  body ;  there,  it  will  be  spiritual :  sown 
in  dishonor  in  the  grave,  but  raised  in  glory.  We  have 
shown  how  wide  the  difference  may  be  between  the  natu- 
ral and  the  spiritual  body,  consistently  with  the  scriptural 
representations :  and  doubtless  the  changes  that  will  be 
undergone,  will  far  transcend  our  present  conceptions. 
Here,  it  is  mortal ;  there,  immortal :  here,  gross,  and  the 


36  HOPE    CHANGED 

seat  of  gross  appetites ;  there,  etherial  and  free  from 
every  taint  of  sense  or  sin :  here,  the  seat  of  pain  :  there, 
invulnerable  to  violence,  disorganization,  and  disease. 
Oh,  what  wonders  will  such  a  body  contain  ;  and  how 
will  its  study  force  from  us,  with  far  deeper  emphasis 
than  it  was  ever  uttered  in  this  world,  the  exclamation, 
1  am  fearfully  and  wonderfully  made! 

3.  In  the  third  place>  in  the  spring  hope  changes  into 
fruition. 

During  the  long  winter  months  of  high  latitudes,  how 
often  do  men  sigh  after  the  return  of  spring  !  Having 
had  so  long  experience  of  the  certain  revolutions  of  the 
seasons,  their  expectation  of  spring's  return,  to  scatter  the 
snows,  unlock  the  streams,  mantle  the  earth  with  a  green 
carpet,  and  cover  the  vegetable  world  with  flowers  of 
every  form  and  hue,  and  make  the  air,  earth,  and  waters, 
again  to  teem  with  life  and  motion ;  this  expectation,  I 
say,  is  almost  too  strong  to  be  called  hope  :  And  yet  it 
may  fail.  "We  know  not  when  the  last  vernal  season  may 
come  :  for  of  that  day  Jcnoweth  no  man,  but  the  Father  on- 
ly. But  when  we  are  actually  rioting  in  the  midst  of  ver- 
nal glories,  we  feel  that  all  is  a  rejoicing  reality.  Every 
doubt  and  fear  have  departed,  and  the  fruition  is  richer 
than  the  anticipation. 

As  the  Christian  turns  his  thoughts  and  his  eyes  to  the 
place  of  the  dead,  he  also  hopes  and  longs  for  the  day 
when  all  that  sleeping  dust  shall  be.  reanimated,  and  the 


INTO   FRUITION.  37 

grave  shall  give  up  its  charge.  And  yet,  when  faith  is 
weak,  how  often  do  desponding  doubts  and  fears  coine 
over  his  niind !  Ohr  could  he  hear  that  voice,  which 
once  said,  Lazarus  come  forth,  in  like  manner  summon  all 
the  countless  millions  of  earth  from  their  long  sleep, 
what  a  glorious  realization  of  fond  hopes  would  he  expe- 
rience !  And  ere  long  he  shall  hear  it,  and  his  hopes  be 
changed  into  vision.  O,  what  a  change,  and  what  a  vision  ! 
And  to  know  too,  that  his  own  body,  on  earth  so  frail,  and 
it  may  be  so  full  of  pain  and  infirmity,  shall  then  come  forth 
purified,  etherial,  incorruptible,  and  adapted  to  be  the  resi- 
dence of  the  sinless  and  immortal  spirit,  how  delightful 
the  anticipation. 

Take  for  an  example  the  long  tried  and  desponding  in- 
valid. Year  after  year,  and  decade  after  decade,  it  may 
be,  his  frail  system  has  battled  manfully  with  the  insidi- 
ous workings  of  disease.  Those  in  vigorous  health  re- 
gard the  most  of  his  complaints  perhaps  as  imaginary, 
and  suppose  they  might  easily  be  thrown  off  by  vigorous 
effort ;  or  at  the  most,  they  look  upon  him  with  silent 
pity.  But  the  feverish  pulse,  the  aching  head,  the  fail- 
ing strength,  the  desponding  spirits,  and  the  enfeebled 
mind,  too  surely  teach  him  that  disease  is  gaining 
strength,  and  must  ere  long  be  conqueror.  He  tries  all 
that  the  strictest  rules  of  hygiene  can  do,  to  restore  the 
wasting  energies ;  and  sometimes  hope  cheers  him  for  a 
little  while  with  the  sweet  vision  of  renovated  health ;  but 

4* 


38  DIVINE   POWER, 

• 

a  deeper  darkness  succeeds,  and  each  successive  alterna- 
tion of  hope  and  despondency  gives  to  the  latter  more 
and  more  of  a  predominance.  At  length,  if  his  heart  has 
felt  the  transforming  power  of  the  Gospel,  his  thoughts 
turn  with  deepening  interest  to  that  world  where  the  in- 
habitant will  not  say  I  am  sick  ;  and  the  hope  of  a  resur- 
rection of  his  now  diseased  and  suffering  body  to  im- 
mortal health  and  vigor,  sends  a  thrill  of  delightful  antici- 
pation through  his  sinking  heart.  Much  as  he  has  suffer- 
ed in  his  present  body,  he  still  feels  for  it  a  strong  at- 
tachment ;  especially  when  he  reflects  how  wonderfully 
it  has  held  out  under  the  assaults  of  disease  ;  and  it  is  a 
delightful  thought,  that  it  shall  one  day  be  restored  to 
him,  transformed  indeed  gloriously,  but  retaining  its  iden- 
tity, and  having  become  invulnerable  to  all  created  pow- 
er, shall  be  his  eternal  and  happy  dwelling  place.  Oh, 
animating  hope !  And  it  is  eminently  the  invalid's  hope ; 
for  how  little  do  they  know  of  its  mighty  power,  whose 
pulse  of  health  always  beats  strong,  and  whose  spirits  are 
always  buoyant  and  happy. 

4-  In  the  fourth  place,  spring  opens  upon  us  brighter 
displays  of  Divine  Power,  Wisdom  and  Goodness. 

Every  season  has,  indeed,  its  peculiar  exhibitions  of 
these  attributes.  But  in  the  winter  months,  they  are 
chiefly  manifestations  of  inorganic  laws.  Chemistry  is  at 
work,  with  its  curious  transmutations  and  molecular  forces, 
to  convert  water  into  splendid  and  most  useful  forms  of 
crystallization ;  mantling  the  earth  with  snow  and  ice,  and 


WISDOM:  AND  GOODNESS.  39 

thus  guarding  organic  beings  from  the  loss  of  vital  heat. 
But  after  all,  it  is  when  organic  nature  is  most  fully  de- 
veloped, that  we  are  most  impressed  by  the  Divine  wis- 
dom and  power.  Indeed,  the  germination  and  growth  of 
an  animal  or  plant,  such  as  we  witness  in  the  spring,  are 
most  wonderful  processes ;  and  were  they  not  so  common, 
they  would  be  as  impressive  as  miracles.  And  really, 
what  is  it  but  the  direct  power  of  God,  that  produces 
these  astonishing  effects  ?  True,  we  speak  of  the  laws 
by  which  vegetables  and  animals  are  made  to  grow  and 
flourish.  But  this  is  only  saying  that  God  works  accord- 
ing to  fixed  rules  :  for  what  is  a  law  without  the  effi- 
cient agency  of  the  lawgiver  ?  Why  not  at  once  ascribe 
to  Divine  Power  the  developments  of  organic  life,  which 
that  Power  can  alone  produce,  and  thus  follow  the  exam- 
ple of  the  sacred  writers,  who  seem  as  much  impressed  by 
the  ordinary  as  by  the  extraordinary  movements  of  na- 
ture, and  see  the  hand  of  God  in  the  one  as  distinctly  as 
in  the  other.  In  like  manner,  when  spring  opens  upon 
us  unnumbered  examples  of  expanding  organisms,  we 
should  look  upon  them  all  as  the  direct  fruits  of  Divine 
Power  and  Wisdom,  and  rejoice  in  them  as  indications  of 
Divine  Goodness. 

And  just  so  when  the  winter  of  the  grave  is  past,  and 
spring  shall  visit  the  mouldering  urn,  and  the  spiritual 
shall  replace  the  natural  body,  how  astonishing,  have  we 
reason  to  suppose,  will  be  the  manifestations  of  these  Di« 


40  DEVELOPMENTS 

vine  attributes  which  that  new  condition  will  present !  If 
in  this  world,  so  marred  by  sin,  the  organism  is  full  of 
wonders,  what  shall  be  its  marvelousness,  when  an  or- 
ganization exists  adapted  to  a  sinless  and  immortal  state, 
to  the  free  exercise  of  the  intellectual  and  moral  powers, 
and  to  ever  advancing  holiness  and  happiness !  The 
scriptures  allow  us  to  give  our  imagination  free  scope,  in 
attempting  to  conceive  of  the  splendors  of  that  state:  for 
they  seize  upon  the  most  brilliant  scenes  of  time  to  set 
forth  its  external  glories. 

5.  In  the  fifth  place,  the  animating  scenes  of  spring  in- 
spire the  expectation  of  yet  richer  developments  of  organic 
nature. 

To  see  the  expanding  bud,  the  opening  flower,  and  the 
green  fields,  and  to  drink  in  the  balmy  breezes  loaded 
with  refreshing  odors,  is  indeed  most  animating  and  de- 
lightful. But  a  part  of  the  pleasure  arises  from  the  con- 
fident expectation  that  the  fresh  beauties  of  spring  shall 
ripen  into  the  more  enduring  glories  of  summer,  and  the 
mellow  fruits  of  autumn.  The  latter,  indeed,  we  confi- 
dently expect  as  a  consequence  of  the  former,  and  there- 
fore, as  they  come  on,  we  are  less  impressed  by  their 
novelty.  But  let  them  cease  to  follow  at  the  expected 
time,  and  we  should  find  .that  beautiful  as  were  the  blos- 
soms of  spring,  they  could  not  compare  in  intrinsic  im- 
portance with  the  more  substantial  developments  of  sum- 
mer and  autumn. 


YET    RICHER.  41 

When  the  spring  time  of  the  resurrection  shall  arrive, 
and  man  finds  himself  united  to  his  spiritual  body,  he  will 
no  doubt  be  amazed  and  delighted  by  the  novelty  and 
splendor  of  his  house  not  made  ivith  hands,  eternal  in  the 
heavens.  I  know  not  what  will  be  the  anatomy  and  phy- 
siology of  the  spiritual  body.  But  since  it  is  adapted  to 
a  far  higher  state  of  existence,  can  we  doubt  that  in  struc- 
ture and  function  it  will  equally  transcend  the  natural 
body  ?  It  may  not  possess  such  senses  as  we  now  em- 
ploy ;  but  there  must  be  means  of  receiving  knowledge, 
far  more  delicate,  certain,  and  rapid,  than  we  now 
enjoy.  Then  too  the  spiritual  body  must  be  pos- 
sessed of  an  activity  incapable  of  fatigue,  and  eminently 
fitted  for  abstraction.  The  memory  may  be  expect- 
ed to  retain  without  effort,  every  impression  made  upon  it. 
The  organization  must  likewise  be  so  exquisite,  as  never 
to  mislead,  or  allure  from  duty.  All  the  powers,  indeed, 
of  body  and  mind,  must  be  in  perfect  harmony,  and  nev- 
er know  any  of  those  conflicts  which  in  this  world  so 
cloud  the  intellect,  pervert  the  will,  and  estrange  the  af- 
fections from  holiness  and  God. 

But  though  the  soul,  when  it  first  enters  such  a  body, 
will  experience  intense  delight,  yet  it  will  doubtless  soon 
discover  that  still  richer  developments  are  in  reserve  for 
it:  for  we  have  every  reason  to  suppose,  both  from  the 
nature  of  the  soul,  and  the  whole  analogy  of  the  world, 
that  everlasting  progress  and  development  are  the  destiny 


42  WELL    KNOWN    FORMS 

of  the  glorified  spirit ;  and  that  the  grand  means  of  such 
progress  will  be  the  exercise  of  all  the  powers,  corpo- 
real, mental,  and  moral.  Nay,  where  is  the  objection  to 
the  supposition,  that  the  glorified  spirit  may  pass  success- 
ively into  higher  and  higher  conditions  of  being,  by 
means  of  changes  as  great,  it  may  be,  as  those  that  con- 
duct it  from  this  world  into  another :  yet  not  of  such  a 
nature  as  implies  the  least ;  amount  of  suffering.  For 
even  what  we  call  death,  might  be  made  a  transition  de- 
lightful in  prospect  and  in  experience. 

It  is  reasonable  then  to  suppose,  that  the  enchanting 
scenes  of  the  spring  time  of  future  existence  will  be  only 
an  earnest  of  richer  glories,  which  can  be  seen  in  bright 
perspective,  along  the  pathway  of  the  whole  immortal 
existence,  and  that  as  the  soul  advances  on  that  path,  the 
vision  will  become  wider  and  more  magnificent  forever 
and  ever. 

6.  Finally,  spring  restores  to  us  many  well  remembered 
forms  of  vegetable  and  animal  life. 

When  the  frosts  of  autumn  came  on,  it  was  saddening 
to  see  how  many  familiar  forms  of  the  vegetable  world, 
to  which  we  had  become  attached,  were  yielding  up  their 
foliage ;  and  though  they  descended  to  the  grave  in  a 
gaudy  dress,  we  could  not  but  feel  that  we  were  losing  the 
society  of  friends.  Then  too,  the  song  of  birds  ceased  in 
the  fields  and  the  woods,  or  they  uttered  only  a  few  soli- 
tary and  farewell  notes,  as  they  withdrew  to  their  south- 


RESTORED.  43 

ern  retreats.  In  like  manner,  nearly  all  other  voices  of 
the  animal  world  soon  ceased,  and  during  the  long  months  of 
winter,  it  was  the  analogy  of  nature  only  that  inspired  the 
expectation  of  ever  again  beholding  forms  that  seemed 
to  have  disappeared  forever.  Yet  with  the  opening 
spring  they  have  come  back  :  in  a  new  dress  indeed  ;  but 
still  identically  the  same,  and  awakening  delightful  remin- 
iscences and  anticipations.  Some  of  them  have  been  con- 
cealed among  us  and  subjected  to  the  stern  power  of  win- 
ter ;  and  others  have  fled  far  away  to  escape  his  wither- 
ing blasts.  But  they  have  reappeared  as  fresh  and  lovely 
as  ever :  yea  more  so  :-nor  can  we  perceive  that  one  fea- 
ture is  gone,  or  changed,  save  that  the  fresher  charms  of 
youth  are  upon  them.  Every  spire  of  grass  is  developed 
with  the  same  form,  and  colour,  and  position,  as  its  pro- 
genitors, so  that  the  Festuca  is  at  once  known  from  the 
Poa  and  Agrostis,  and  the  Dactylis  from  the  Phleum. 
The  Anemones  and  the  Violets,  the  Gnaphalium,  the  Tri- 
folium,  the  Leontodon,  the  Hepatica  and  the  Trillium, 
have  been  restored  without  the  loss  of  a  single  tint  of  col- 
oring, or  change  in  the  form  of  their  leaves,  their  stems,  or 
their  flowers.  The  oak  also,  and  the  maple,  the  elm  and 
the  poplar,  the  willow  and  the  birch,  the  Cornus  and  the 
Pyrus,  the  pine  and  the  spruce,  and  a  thousand  other  spe- 
cies of  trees  and  shrubs,  put  forth  the  same  peculiar 
leaves  and  flowers,  and  take  the  same  specific  shapes  and 
colors,  which  they  have  had  since  first  they  rose  out  of 


44  OLD    FKIENDS    RETURNED. 

the  earth  at  the  Divine  Command.  The  same  familiar 
voices  meet  us  too,  from  the  fields  and  the  groves.  At 
the  earliest  dawn,  the  robin's  cheerful  song  is  heard,  with 
the  clear  rich  note  of  the  lark,  the  soft  tone  of  the  blue- 
bird, the  twitter  of  the  swallow,  the  cooing  of  the  dove* 
the  clear  and  cheerful  voice  of  the  blackbird,  and  the 
hoarse  yet  welcome  garrulity  of  the  crow.  In  short, 
wherever  we  turn  our  eyes,  or  wherever  we  open  ouf 
ears,  forms  and  sounds  of  vegetable  and  animal  life  meet 
us  in  almost  endless  profusion,  yet  familiar  to  us  from  our 
earliest  days  ;  and  most  of  them  dear  to  us,  not  only  be- 
cause of  their  inherent  beauty  and  loveliness,  but  because 
they  are  associated  with  the  most  cherished  recollections 
of  our  lives*  When  we  look  back  upon  life>  we  see  much 
that  is  painful  because  marred  by  sin.  But  natural  ob- 
jects are  always  remembered  with  pleasure,  because  they 
wear  the  freshness  and  the  innocence  of  Paradise.  Du- 
ring the  stern  reign  of  winter  we  often  sighed  for  the  re* 
turn  of  the  foliage  and  the  flowers,  and  the  countless 
voices  of  gladness,  which  burst  forth  from  all  nature  in 
the  vernal  season.  And  now  the  desire  is  gratified,  and 
while  the  soft  and  healthful  breezes  fan  us,  the  smile  and 
the  song  of  nature  make  us  almost  forget  for  a  time  that 
we  are  in  a  world  of  sin  and  suffering. 

How  delightful  now  to  be  able  to  say,  thus  shall  it  be 
with  the  resurrection  of  the  dead  !  Then,  indeed,  shall 
the  grave  deliver  up  a  multitude  of  well  remembered  and 


FRIENDS    WILL   KNOW   ONE  ANOTHER.  45 

endeared  forms,  which  in  sadness  we  committed  to  its 
charge.  In  another  part  of  this  discourse  I  have  endeav- 
ored to  show,  that  the  spiritual  body  will  possess  a  specific 
and  individual  identity,  l^ow  what  is  it  that  enables  us 
in  the  spring  to  recognize  the  plants  and  animals 
emerging  from  the  grave  of  winter,  as  the  same  in  kind 
with  those  that  flourished  in  the  previous  year?  It  is 
simply  by  their  specific  identity,  which  has  been  preserv- 
ed through  all  the  changes  and  rigors  of  winter.  Just  so 
does  the  bible  describe  the  specific  character  of  man,  and 
by  parity  of  reason  that  of  individuals,  as  being  unharm- 
ed by  the  mechanical  and  chemical  changes  consequent 
upon  death.  We  may  expect,  therefore,  to  be  able  at 
the  resurrection,  to  distinguish  those  whom  we  have 
known  on  earth,  as  readily  as  we  do  the  plants  and  ani- 
mals of  spring.  It  is  strange,  indeed,  apart  from  this 
doctrine  of  the  preservation  of  specific  identity,  how  theo- 
logians could  ever  have  doubted  whether  men  would  be 
able  to  recognize  one  another  in  the  eternal  world :  for 
they  all  admit  that  memory  will  remain,  and  some  means 
of  intercommunication  be  possessed,  at  least  as  certain  as 
on  earth.  How  then,  could  individuals  be  prevented  from 
learning  to  recognize  one  another,  even  though  every  evi- 
dence of  corporeal  identity  be  lost  ?  But  when  the  apos- 
tle says,  that  God  giveth  to  every  seed  his  own  body,  and 
that  so  it  will  be  with  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  every 

5 


46  LET   THE   BEREAVED 

naturalist  feels  sure  that  there  will  exist  also,  such  marks 
of  identity  between  the  natural  and  the  spiritual  body,  as 
will  enable  those  familiar  with  the  one,  to  recognize  the 
other.  I  pretend  not,  indeed,  to  describe  how  that  spe- 
cific identity  can  be  preserved,  amid  the  decompositions 
of  the  grave  ;  especially  when  I  know  that  flesh  and  Mood 
cannot  inherit  the  kingdom, of  God.  But  I  do  know,  that 
the  specific  characteristics  of  plants  and  animals  are  main- 
tained in  this  world  under  changes  perhaps  equally  great ; 
and  when  Jehovah  declares,  that  so  it  shall  be  in  the  res- 
urrection of  the  dead,  I  joyfully  acqiiiesce  in  the  doctrine, 
because  I  know  that  infinite  power  can  accomplish  that 
which  infinite  wisdom  determines* 

I  come,  then,  my  hearers,  with  my  heart  full  of  this 
consoling  doctrine,  to  pour  it  into  the  bosoms  of  the  af- 
flicted. And  who  of  us  have  not  sometimes  been  afflicted 
in  the  removal  of  those  whose  forms  and  features  have 
tfeen  ever  since  remembered  with  the  deepest  inter- 
est. We  have  called  in  the  aid,  it  may  be,  of  painting 
and  photography,  to  embalm  their  features,  and  the  ex- 
pression which  the  workings  of  the  soul  within  gave  to  the 
countenance.  And  how  deep  was  our  anguish,  when  we 
last  looked  upon  them,  although  death  had  marred  their 
countenances,  as  we  saw  the  grave  closing  over  their  re- 
mains. But  if  the  doctrine  of  this  discourse  be  true,  and  if 
they  were  the  true  disciples  of  Christ,  they  shall  be  re- 


BE    COMFORTED.  47 

stored  to  us  in  the  resurrection  morning,  and  we  shall  re- 
cognize them  amid  the  millions,  who  then  awake  from  the 
grave,  as  we  now  recognize  the  plants  and  animals  of 
spring.  There  shall  be  a  characteristic  something  in 
their  spiritual  bodies,  that  will  lead  us  at  once,  and 
with  exulting  joy,  to  fly  to  their  embrace.  Fathers  and 
mothers,  who  have  been  called  to  yield  to  the  demands  of 
death,  a  darling  and  pious  child,  while  yet  the  dew  and 
the  beauty  of  youth  were  fresh  upon  him,  go  forth  at  the 
shout  of  the  archangel,  and  you  shall  find  that  child,  glow- 
ing indeed  with  celestial  beauty  and  glory,  yet  retaining 
something  of  that  same  expression  which  has  stamped  his 
image  so  deeply  on  your  heart.  And  thou  disconsolate 
man,  from  whom  death  has  taken  the  wife  of  your  youth, 
go  thou  forth  at  the  same  signal,  and  you  shall  at  once 
distinguish  her  too,  amid  ascending  millions,  and  become 
her  everlasting  companion,  in  that  world  where  they  neither 
marry  nor  are  given  in  marriage,  but  are  as  the  angels  of 
God.  The  lonely  widow  too,  let  her  come,  and  she  shall 
recognize  that  countenance,  which  a  noble  soul  and  gen- 
erous affection  have  made  indelible  on  her  heart,  as  once 
her  husband  and  protector,  nor  shall  any  power  be  able 
again  to  tear  him  from  her  side ;  but  the  holy  joys  of 
eternity  shall  be  doubly  sweet,  because  enjoyed  together. 
Children  of  beloved  Christian  parents,  come  ye,  also,  and 
rush  again  into  the  embrace  of  those  who  gave  you  being) 


48  RECOGNITIONS 

and  who  trained  you  up  for  heaven,  and  they  shall  take 
you  by  the  hand  and  still  be  your  guides  and  companions 
amid  the  wonders  of  the  New  Jerusalem.  There  like- 
wise shall  the  brother,  from  whom  death  has  torn  an  af- 
fectionate brother  or  sister,  and  the  sister,  who  has  often 
wept  over  a  departed  brother,  or  sister,  find  them  again 
radiant  with  heavenly  glory,  yet  retaining  the  traces  of 
their  earthly  character.  And  whatever  Christian  weeps 
over  the  memory  of  a  Christian  friend,  let  him  wipe  away 
his  tears,  and  prepare  to  meet  that  friend,  when  the 
graves  have  given  up  their  dead,  with  a  body  like  unto 
Christ's,  yet  fashioned  so  as  to  make  it  only  a  transmuted 
and  glorified  natural  body,  recognized  by  one  of  those 
golden  links  that  bind  the  natural  to  the  spiritual,  the 
mortal  to  the  immortal.  Oh,  blessed  season  of  recogni- 
tion and  joy  begun  !  How  will  it  wipe  away  in  a  moment 
every  Christian  mourner's  tears,  and  restore  to  him  his 
departed  friends,  and  bring  them  all  together  in  the  pres- 
ence of  their  common  Lord,  to  enjoy  his  smiles,  and  the 
delightful  intercourse  of  one  another,  with  no  fear  of  dis- 
astrous change  or  separation,  forever  and  ever.  Sur- 
rounded as  we  are,  my  Christian  friends,  by  the  resurrec- 
tions of  spring,  let  us  look  upon  the  thousand  forms  of 
life  and  beauty  that  meet  us  from  day  to  day,  as  symboli- 
zations  of  that  nobler  resurrection,  when  ,  forms  a  thous- 
and times  dearer  shall  start  into  life  from  a  deeper  win- 


IN    HEAVEN.  49 

ter,  and  put  on  a  verdure  that  will  never  decay^  and  a 
glory  that  will  never  fade.  Oh,  that  this  bright  hope 
might  stimulate  us  so  to  live  and  to  labor,  that  not  only 
ourselves,  but  all  whom  we  love  on  earth,  shall  come 
forth  at  the  resurrection  of  the  just,  purified  from  the 
stains  and  sins  of  earth,  and  ripe  for  the  perfect  holiness 
and  perfect  happiness  of  heaven  ! 


THE  TRIUMPHAL  ARCH  OF  SUMMER. 


THE  TRIUMPHAL  ARCH  OF  SUMMER. 


AND  GOD  SPAKE  UNTO   NOAH   AND   TO   HIS   SONS  WITH    HIM, 
SAYING,  AND  I,  BEHOLD  I  ESTABLISH  MY  COVENANT   WITH 

YOU  AND  WITH  YOUR  SEED  AFTER  YOU  *.  AND  WITH  EVERY 
LIVING  CREATURE  THAT  IS  WITH  YOU  OF  THE  FOWL,  OP 
THE  CATTLE,  AND  OF  EVERY  BEAST  OF  THE  EARTH  WITH 
YOU,  FROM  ALL  THAT  GO  OUT  OF  THE  ARK,  TO  EVERY 
BEAST  OF  THE  EARTH.  AND  I  WILL  ESTABLISH  MY  COV- 
ENANT WITH  YOU  )  NEITHER  SHALL  ALL  FLESH  BE  CUT  OFF 
ANY  MORE  BY  THE  WATERS  OF  A  FLOOD  I  NEITHER  SHALL 
THERE  ANY  MORE  BE  A  FLOOD  TO  DESTROY  THE  EARTH. 

AND  GOD  SAID,   THIS   is   THE   TOKEN  OF    THE   COVENANT 

WHICH  I  MAKE  BETWEEN  YOU  AND  ME,  AND  EVERY  LIV- 
ING CREATURE  THAT  IS  WITH  YOU,  FOR  PERPETUAL  GENER- 
ATIONS. I  DO  SET  MY  BOW  IN  THE  CLOUDS,  AND  IT  SHALL 
BE  FOR  A  TOKEN  OF  A  COVENANT  BETWEEN  ME  AND  THE 
EARTH.  AND  IT  SHALL  COME  TO  PASS  WHEN  I  BRING  A 
CLOUD  OVER  THE  EARTH,  THAT  THE  BOW  SHALL  BE  SEEN 
IN  THE  CLOUD.  AND  I  WILL  REMEMBER  MY  COVENANT 
WHICH  IS  BETWEEN  ME  AND  YOU  AND  EVERY  LIVING 
CREATURE  OF  ALL  FLESH;  AND  THE  WATERS  SHALL  NO 
MORE  BECOME  A  FLOOD  TO  DESTROY  ALL  FLESH.  AND  THE 


54  SOOTHING   EFFECT 

BOW  SHALL  BE  IN  THE  CLOUD;  AND  I  WILL  LOOK  UPON  IT 
THAT  I  MAY  REMEMBER  THE  EVERLASTING  COVENANT  BE- 
TWEEN GOD  AND  EVERY  LIVING  CREATURE  OF  ALL  FLESH 
THAT  IS  UPON  THE  EARTH. — Genesis  9  :  8 — 16. 

IT  does  not  follow  from  this  description,  that  the  rain- 
bow had  no  existence  before  the  deluge,  but  only  that 
God  appealed  to  it  upon  the  subsidence  of  the  waters,  as 
a  token  or  sign  of  the  promise  or  covenant  he  then  made 
with  the  earth.  Whenever  that  sign  should  appear  in 
the  cloud,  it  would  be  a  pledge  that  the  constancy  of  na- 
ture was  not  again  to  be  interrupted  in  order  to  deluge 
the  earth. 

Every  one  has  observed  and  delighted  in  the  tranquil- 
izing  influence  of  striking  scenes  in  nature.  Let  a  man's 
nerves  be  ever  so  much  rasped  and  irritated  by  the  colli- 
sions and  perplexities  of  life,  how  quickly  will  they  be 
soothed,  if  some  splendid  landscape  bursts  at  once  upon 
his  sight ;  if  a  meteor  rushes  across  the  heavens  ;  or  the 
northern  aurora  decorates  the  sky ;  if  the  thunder  cloud 
rises  slowly  and  majestically,  or  the  sun  emerges  after  a 
storm  and  paints  a  rainbow  upon  the  retiring  darkness. 
It  is  as  if,  while  thus  excited  and  ruffled,  he  were  to  attempt 
to  perform  a  piece  of  music,  or  were  to  listen  to  one  who 
has  a  pleasant  voice  and  can  play  well  on  an  instrument. 
He  could  not  sing,  and  with  difficulty  could  he  hear  mu- 
sic well  executed,  without  becoming  tranquil.  And  there 
is  a  music  in  the  striking  scenes  of  nature  still  more  po- 


OF   NATURAL    PHENOMENA.  55 

tent,  which  exerts  a  magic  power  to  soothe  the  agitated, 
and  cheer  the  desponding  heart. 

But  such  an  effect  is  not  the  highest  and  most  impor- 
tant influence  which  we  should  seek  from  natural  phe- 
nomena. They  teach  many  a  moral  lesson  with  great 
clearness  and  force ;  and  the  religious  man  should  ever 
desire  to  secure  this  most  needed  benefit  from  every  thing 
beautiful  and  sublime  in  nature. 

You  will  see  by  my  text,  that  my  object  on  this  occa- 
sion, is,  to  call  your  attention  to  one  of  the  most  splendid 
and  not  unfrequent  spectacles,  .which  crown  the  balmy 
season  of  summer.  I  would  point  out  those  religious 
truths,  which  the  rainbow,  by  fair  analogy,  illustrates  and 
impresses. 

In  the  first  place,  the  text  shows  us  that  the  rainbow  is  a 
token,  or  pledge  of  God's  fidelity  to  his  word. 

In  order  to  appreciate  the  value  of  this  pledge  to  Noah 
and  his  family  and  his  immediate  successors,  we  need  only 
place  ourselves  in  their  circumstances.  The  constancy  of 
nature  had  been  broken  in  upon,  and  a  frightful  catastro- 
phe had  followed,  involving  the  whole  world  in  destruc- 
tion, save  a  single  family.  That  family  had  seen  a  rain 
commence,  as  any  other  rain ;  yet  it  ceased  not  for  forty 
days  ;  and  then  too,  the  ocean  came  rolling  in  its  giant 
waves  upon  the  land,  engulphing  in  awful  ruin,  the  unbe- 
lieving world,  and  sparing  only  those,  who,  trusting  in  God's 
word,  had  prepared  an  ark  and  were  borne  upwards  by  the 


56  THE   PLEDGE    OF    GOD's   FIDELITY. 

swelling  flood.  As  they  saw  multitudes  struggle  in  vain 
against  the  waters,  and  their  dead  bodies  at  length  strew- 
ed over  the  universal  flood,  how  deeply  must  they  have 
been  impresssd  with  the  powerlessness  of  man  when  God 
rises  up  in  anger,  and  how  easy  for  him  to  turn  all  nature 
into  a  chaos  in  the  execution  of  vindictive  justice  upon 
the  guilty.  The  inquiry,  therefore,  must  have  been  one 
of  deep  interest  to  these  survivers  and  their  descendants, 
to  whom  for  several  generations  the  story  of  the  deluge 
would  be  told  with  the  vividness  of  a  present  reality,— 
whether  they  might  not  expect  other  special  interpositions 
of  Divine  Power,  arresting  the  ordinary  operations  of  na- 
ture, whenever  the  guilty  deserved  punishment.  And 
doubtless  they  felt  as  if  their  own  conduct  deserved  from 
Infinite  Holiness,  a  repetition  of  the  terrible  infliction. 
How  cheering  then  to  hear  God  say,  1  will  establish  my 
covenant  with  you,  neither  shall  all  flesh  be  cut  off  any 
more  by  the  w  aters  of  a  flood.  I  will  not  again  curse  the 
ground  any  more  for  man*s  sake :  for  the  imagination  of 
marfs  heart  is  evil  from  his  youth  :  neither  will  I  again 
smite  any  more  everything  living  as  I  have  done.  While 
the  earth  remaineth,  seed  time  and  harvest,  and  cold  and 
hea^  and  summer  and  winter,  and  day  and  night,  shall 
not  cease.  I  do  set  my  boiv  in  the  cloud,  and  it  shall  be 
for  a  token  of  a  covenant  between  me  and  the  earth.  And 
the  bow  shall  be  in  the  cloud,  and  I  will  look  upon  it  that 
I  may  remember  the  everlasting  covenant  between  God  and 


SPECIAL    INTERPOSITION.  57 

every  living  creature  of  all  flesh  that  is  upon  the  earth. 
Oh,  with  what  intense  anxiety  must  these  survivors,  after 
leaving  the  ark,  have  watched  the  clouds,  to  see  if  the 
promised  sign  should  appear !  and  what  exultation  must 
have  swelled  their  bosoms,  as  they  saw  the  many  colored 
arch  spanning  the  heavens  and  quelling  their  fears,  and 
inspiring  confidence  in  God,  and  gratitude  towards  him. 
No  wonder  that  the  rainbow,  as  well  as  every  other  cir- 
cumstance connected  with  the  deluge,  should  have  enter- 
ed so  largely  into  the  mythological  systems  of  heathen 
antiquity,  and  that  the  bow  should  have  been  personified 
in  the  goddess  Iris. 

It  did  not  require  many  generations  to  pass,  before  men 
lost  their  deep  moral  interest  in  the  rainbow :  for  the  long 
continued  constancy  of  nature  dissipated  their  fears  of  its 
interruption :  and  at  this  day,  how  few,  as  they  look  up- 
on this  phenomenon,  remember  at  all  that  it  is  the  token 
of  that  only  covenant,  which  ensures  the  constancy  of  na- 
ture's operations  !  But  that  pledge  is  indeed  our  only  se- 
curity. We  do  not  learn,  either  from  philosophy  or  rev- 
elation, that  God  might  not  as  certainly  and  successfully 
have  governed  the  world  by  special  interposition,  as  by 
fixed  laws.  Indeed,  special  interposition  might  have 
been  easily  made  the  law,  and  uniformity  the  exception. 
But  how  disastrous  would  such  a  state  of  things  have 
been  to  the  human  family  !  Suppose  that  every  time  we 
saw  the  clouds  rising,  we  were  to  anticipate  a  penal  del* 

6 


58  THE    PLEDGE 

uge  ;  or  every  time  the  thunder  and  lightning  played,  we 
were  to  expect  some  signal  manifestation  of  God's  dis- 
pleasure towards  the  guilty :  and  who  is  not  conscious 
enough  of  guilt  to  feel  that  he  deserves  the  stroke.  Still 
more  painful  must  have  been  our  apprehensions,  when  the 
comet's  train  was  in  the  heavens,  or  the  aurora  borealis 
was  flashing  up  from  the  horizon,  or  the  sun  and  moon 
were  suffering  eclipse  !  The  heathen,  and  those  extreme- 
ly ignorant,  have  these  fears  to  some  extent  :  and  we 
know  how  miserable  it  makes  them.  Thus  saith  the  Lord, 
learn  not  the  way  of  the  heathen,  and  he  not  dismayed  at 
the  signs  of  heaven  ;  for  the  heathen  are  dismayed  at  them. 
Let  us  then,  remember  with  gratitude,  as  we  look  upon 
the  bow  of  summer,  that  it  is  our  only  pledge  against  an 
insecurity  and  uncertainty  in  nature,  that  would  convert 
the  world  into  a  torturing  house,  where  conscience  would 
act  as  inquisitor. 

But  this  is  not  all.  For  if  the  rainbow  is  the  token  of 
God's  covenant  with  the  material  universe,  it  is  also,  by 
parity  of  reason,  a  pledge  of  the  fulfilment  of  all  his  promis- 
es, and  all  his  threatenings.  For  the  last  four  thousand 
years,  God  has  not  failed  of  the  promise  that  seed  time  and 
harvest,  and  cold  and  heat,  and  summer  and  winter,  and 
day  and  night,  shall  not  cease.  Why  should  we  doubt  any 
more  that  he  will  show  the  same  fidelity  to  all  the  prom- 
ises :  and  Oh,  how  rich  and  abundant  they  are,  to  those 
who  are  faithful  in  his  service  !  God  is  not  man  that  he 


OF  GOD'S  PROMISES.  59 

should  lie  ;  neither  the  son  of  man  that  he  should  repent : 
hath  he  said,  and  shall  he  not  do  it  ?  or  hath  he  spoken, 
and  shall  he  not  make  it  good  f  God,  says  the  apostle, 
willing  more  abundantly  to  show  unto  the  heirs  of  promise 
the  immutability  of  his  counsel,  confirmed  it  by  an  oath  : 
That  by  two  immutable  things,  in  which  it  was  impossible 
for  God  to  lie,  we  might  have  a  strong  consolation,  who 
have  fled  for  refuge  to  lay  hold  on  the  hope  set  before  us. 
And  in  another  place,  the  same  apostle,  speaking  of 
Christ,  says,  For  all  the  promises  of  God  in  him,  are  yea, 
and  in  him  amen,  unto  the  glory  of  God,  by  us.  Truly 
we  may  add  the  inference  which  he  makes  on  this  subject, 
from  another  train  of  reasoning :  If  God  be  for  us^  who 
can  be  against  us  ? 

But  I  need  not  make  this  point  a  matter  of  inference 
from  the  promises  of  God  in  general :  for  he  has  express- 
ly compared  his  covenant  with  Noah,  to  that  made  with 
his  people.  This,  says  he,  is  as  the  waters  of  Noah  unto 
me :  for  as  I  have  sworn  that  the  waters  of  Noah  should  no 
more  go  over  the  earth,  so  have  I  sworn  that  I  would  not 
be  wroth  with  thee,  nor  rebuke  thee.  For  the  mountains 
shall  depart*  and  the  hills  be  removed ;  but  my  kindness 
shall  not  depart  from  thee,  neither  shall  the  covenant  of  my 
peace  be  removed,  saith  the  Lord  that  hath  mercy  on  thee. 
How  strong  this  language !  It  does  not  say  that  God's 
covenant  with  his  people  is  as  firm  as  that  with  the  ma- 
terial universe  as  ratified  by  the  rainbow.  But  it  goes 


60  GOD'S    THREATENINGS 

farther,  and  declares  that  even  though  the  latter  be  bro- 
ken, so  that  the  mountains  shall  depart,  and  the  hills  be 
removed,  yet  his  promises  to  his  people  shall  neverthe- 
less abide,  and  they  need  not  fear  amid  a  dissolving  uni- 
verse. 

As  the  Christian,  then,  looks  upon  the  bow  of  summer 
spanning  the  arch  of  heaven,  what  a  lesson  of  trust  in 
God  does  it  teach  him  !  Only  one  half  hour  before,  per- 
haps, he  was  surrounded  by  blackness  and  darkness  and 
tempest ;  and  no  sign  in  nature  indicated  a  cessation  of 
the  wild  commotion  of  the  elements.  But  how  soon  was 
the  change  accomplished,  that  brought  back  the  light,  and 
hushed  the  winds,  and  made  beauty  and  glory  almost  un- 
earthly succeed  the  elemental  war  !  And  that  bow  which 
crowns  the  whole  scene,  tells  the  Christian,  that  with  like 
ease  can  God  make  the  storms  of  affliction  and  trial,  and 
the  furious  onsets  of  temptation,  and  the  darkness  of  de- 
spondency, pass  away,  and  peace  and  hope  revisit  the 
trembling  heart,  and  fill  it  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full 
of  glory.  In  the  darkest  hour,  therefore,  let  the  believer  ' 
cling  to  the  promise  of  God  and  fear  no  evil,  and  wait  in 
assured  hope  for  his  arm  to  clear  the  darkest  skies,  and 
forget  not,  that  though  weeping  may  continue  for  a  night, 
joy  cometh  in  the  morning. 

But  God  has  promulgated  threatenings  as  well  as 
promises :  His  holy  law  has  penalties  as  well  as  re- 
wards :  penalties  of  deep  and  terrible  import,  whose  an- 


WILL    BE    EXECUTED.  61 

nouncement  is  couched  in  language  and  metaphors  the 
most  terrific  which  the  vocabulary  and  the  rhetoric  of 
man  can  command.  And  it  is  declared  of  these  too,  that 
though  heaven  and  earth  pass  away,  one  jot  or  one  tittle 
shall  in  no  wise  pass  from  the  law  till  all  be  fulfilled. 
What  infatuation,  then,  for  man  to  fancy  that  these 
threatening^  will  not  be  executed  !  How  should  any  one 
presuming  to  entertain  such  fancies  be  rebuked,  as  he 
looks  upon  the  rainbow,  and  is  there  reminded  that  in 
nothing  else  has  God  failed  to  be  as  good  as  his  word. 
Beautiful  then  as  the  bow  of  heaven  is,  it  speaks  only  ter- 
ror and  denunciation  to  the  unhumbled  sinner. 

The  Hindoo  mythology  teaches  that  there  is  a  certain 
fluid  prepared  by  the  gods,  called  the  Amreetta,  or  drink 
of  immortality,  which  confers  eternal  life  upon  all  that 
taste  it.  But  to  the  pious  man,  along  with  immortality, 
it  brings  happiness  without  measure  and  without  end : 
while  in  the  wicked,  it  works  everlasting  agony.  So  if 
the  rainbow  were  viewed  aright,  it  would  awaken  confi- 
dence and  joy  in  the  pious  heart,  but  fear  and  distress  in 
the  wicked.  And  if  such  are  not  its  opposite  effects,  it  is 
because  men  regard  not  its  original  dedication,  as  a  wit- 
ness of  God's  faithfulness  to  his  declarations. 

In  the  second  place ,  the  rainbow  is  an  emblem  of  the 
covenant  of  redemption. 

I  might  have  mentioned  this  fact  without  impropriety, 
under  the  first  head,  But  there  are  some  peculiarities  of 

6* 


G2  THE    COVENANT 

resemblance,  which  make  a  separate  notice  more  appro- 
priate. 

When  the  law  was  proclaimed  on  Sinai,  the  mountain 
was  covered  with  a  thick  cloud,  from  which  issued  the 
thunderings  and  the  lightnings  and  the  loud  trumpet ;  but 
there  was  no  bow  upon  that  cloud.  All  was  suited  to  a 
dispensation,  whose  unyielding  demand  was,  this  do  and 
tliou  shalt  live.  Whosoever  Jceepeth  the  whole  law,  and 
yet  offendeth  in  one  point,  is  guilty  of  all.  But  when  the 
Gospel  was  proclaimed,  it  painted  a  bow  of  promise  upon 
that  cloud ;  not  by  dissipating  the  cloud,  or  robbing  it  of 
its  thunders,  but  only  turning  them  upon  the  head  of  a 
substitute,  and  inviting  the  guilty  and  the  lost  to  take 
shelter  beneath  the  cross. 

We  speak  of  the  rainbow  as  painted  upon  the  clouds. 
But  who  has  not  seen  its  arch  creep  downward  upon  the 
mountain's  side,  and  taking  hold  of  the  forest,  seem  to 
unite  the  stormy  cloud  above  to  the  quiet  earth  beneath. 
In  like  manner,  how  beautifully  does  the  covenant  of  re- 
demption link,  by  a  golden  chain,  heaven  to  earth,  and 
earth  to  heaven.  The  cloud  of  Divine  Justice  still  hangs 
above  our  heads,  and  the  lightning  is  sometimes  seen 
playing  upon  its  face.  But  the  bow  of  mercy  smiles  up- 
on the  darkness,  and  whispers  peace  and  security  to  the 
humble  believer.  With  argument  irresistible,  and  confi- 
dence unshaken,  he  exclaims,  He  that  spared  not  his  own 
Son,  but  delivered  him  up  for  us  all,  how  shall  he  not  with 


OF    REDEMPTION.  G3 

him  also,  freely  give  us  all  things  ?  Who  shall  lay  any 
titing  to  the  charge  of  God's  elect?  It  is  God  that  justi- 
jfteth  :  who  is  he  that  ccnidemneth  ? 

In  the  third  place,  the  rainbow  is  an  apt  emblem  of 
union  and  harmony  in  the  midst  of  diversity. 

The  beam  of  light  that  comes  to  us  from  the  sun,  is 
homogeneous  and  apparently  simple.  But  let  it  pass 
through  the  prism,  or  the  drop  of  rain,  and  it  developes 
the  colors  that  form  the  rainbow.  Apply  the  thermome- 
ter, and  you  will  find  also  in  that  beam,  invisible  rays, 
producing  the  phenomena  of  heat.  Subject  the  photo- 
graphic plate  to  the  same  beam,  and  you  will  find  other 
invisible  rays,  that  shall  realize  the  ancient  fancy  of  the 
painter,  who  dipped  his  pencil  in  the  sun.  Now  all  these 
rays,  so  diverse  in  color  and  effect,  are  harmoniously 
blended  in  the  rainbow.  And  who  fancies  any  want 
of  congruity  and  harmony  ?  Take  away  any  one  of 
them  indeed,  and  you  despoil  the  bow  of  its  perfection. 
A  single  color  painted  upon  the  clouds,  would  excite 
comparatively  little  interest.  But  when  the  seven  are 
blended  in  the  magnificent  arch,  you  feel  how  won- 
derful is  the  power  of  nature  to  unite  and  harmonize 
things  so  diverse  ;  and  in  the  midst  often  thousand  differ- 
ences, to  exhibit  perfect  union  and  proportion. 

The  beam  of  truth  that  comes  to  us,  either  through  the 
volume  of  nature  or  revelation,  is  homogeneous  and  pure. 
But  passing  through  the  various  separating  media,  of  dif- 


64  UNITY    CONSISTENT 

ferent  intellects,  of  education,  of  prejudice,  and  various 
systems  of  philosophy,  it  is  divided  into  rays  of  many  col- 
ors. And  usually  men  do  not  recognize  their  common 
origin,  nor  imagine  that  they  can  be  made  to  harmonize. 
Some  of  these  rays  are,  indeed,  lost,  and  most  of  them 
are  obscured,  by  the  perverting  influence  of  the  medium 
through  which  they  pass.  But  whenever  the  different 
denominations  of  Christendom  unite  upon  any  great  ob- 
ject of  benevolence,  they  show  that  the  light  which  they 
emit,  had  a  divine  original ;  and  though  of  different 
shades,  it  may  all  be  blended  into  an  arch  of  light,  that 
shall  spread  glory  over  the  darkness  of  this  world,  and 
become  an  omen  of  hope  for  the  future.  They  learn, 
that  so  long  as  they  see  evidence  that  the  light  which  is 
thrown  out  from  any  denomination  had  a  divine  origin, 
they  need  not  fear  that  it  will  blast,  but  they  may  hope 
it  will  bless,  the  nations  ;  although  diverse  in-  appearance 
from  their  own  ;  and  that  in  fact,  the  different  colored 
rays  may  blend  in  harmony.  They  will  find  too,  that 
there  are  invisible  rays, — calorific  rays,  unequally  diffu- 
sed, perhaps,  as  in  the  spectrum,  among  the  different  col- 
orific rays :  yet  spreading  a  genial  warmth  through  the 
whole.  And  they  will  find  other  invisible  rays,  whose 
magic  power  shall  paint  Christianity,  as  thus  exhibited, 
in  a  juster  and  fairer  light  before  the  world,  than  she  has 
ever  yet  assumed. 

Beautiful,  however,  as  the  natural  rainbow  is,  it  lacks 


WITH    DIVERSITY.  65 

one  thing  essential  to  the  perfection  of  its  beauty.  As 
seen  in  the  heavens,  by  an  eye  on  earth,  it  can  never 
form  but  a  portion  of  a  circle.  Yet  when  you  stand  up- 
on the  brink  of  the  cataract  of  Niagara,  in  favorable  cir- 
cumstances, you  may  see  that  circle  completed  upon  the 
spray.  And  then  will  you  feel,  what  probably  you  nev- 
er thought  of  before,  how  much  more  glorious  the  bow 
upon  the  clouds  would  be,  could  it  be  presented  as  an  un- 
ending curve. 

In  like  manner,  the  union  of  different  denominations  of 
Christians,  so  fitly  represented  by  the  colors  of  the  rain- 
bow, never  yet  has  been,  and  I  fear  never  will  be, — per- 
haps I  might  say,  never  can  be,  on  earth,  anything  but  a 
broken  circle.  But  when  from  every  nation,  every  de- 
nomination, and  every  communion,  they  shall  be  assem- 
bled around  the  throne  of  their  common  Lord  on  Mount 
Zion  above,  the  circle  shall  be  completed,  and  the  full  glo- 
ries of  Christian  love,  marred  and  obscured  on  earth,  shall 
shine  forth  in  all  their  brightness,  and  excite  the  admira- 
tion of  all  heaven,  and  become  the  Redeemer's  diadem. 

In  the  fourth  place,  the  rainbow  aptly  represents  man's 
present  state  of  probation  and  discipline. 

When  we  see  the  tempest  rising  and  hear  the  winds 
whistling ;  and  see  the  billowy  clouds  wheeling  and  mix- 
ing in  wild  commotion,  while  ever  and  anon  from  their 
dark  folds,  flashes  out  the  lightning,  and  the  startling 
thunder  comes  pealing  after,  while  the  riven  tree  or  the 


6G  MAN'S  PROBATION. 

blazing  habitation,  attests  the  power  of  the  electric  dis- 
charges,— such  a  scene  may  and  must  interest  us  by  its 
sublimity.  But  it  wears  too  much  the  aspect  of  terror  to 
make  its  long  continuance  desired.  Yet  when  the  fury 
of  the  storm  is  past,  and  the  wild  wind  is  lulled,  and  the 
forked  lightning  plays  only  at  a  distance,  and  the  sun  be- 
gins to  look  out  again  from  behind  the  retiring  cloud,  we 
view  the  scene,  with  lively  emotions  of  pleasure  ;  and 
when  at  length  the  rainbow  is  seen  spanning  the  storm, 
and  nature  smiles  in  morning  freshness,  we  rejoice  in  the 
contrast,  and  do  not  regret  the  violence  of  the  tempest, 
iior  its  dangers,  if  such  a  scene  of  loveliness  is  permitted 
to  follow. 

No  less  in  contrast  are  the  scenes  which  man's  proba- 
tionary state  in  this  world  presents.  It  is,  indeed,  full  of 
enigmas,  too  deep  for  human  philosophy  to  solve.  The 
author  of  the  book  of  Ecclesiastes  has  left  us  the  result  of 
his  observations  and  reflections  upon  the  checkered  state 
of  things,  which  society  exhibits.  /  returned,  says  he, 
and  saw  under  the  sun,  that  the  race  is  not  to  the  swift,  nor 
the  battle  to  the  strong ;  neither  yet  bread  to  the  wise,  nor 
yet  riches  to  men  of  understanding,  nor  yet  favor  to  men  of 
skill ;  but  time  and  chance  happeneth  to  them  all.  This  is 
blank  atheism.  But  others  among  the  ancients,  as  they 
observed  the  condition  of  the  world,  saw  in  it  such 
a  strange  mixture  of  retributive  justice  and  benevo- 
lence, as  to  regard  it  as  a  state  of  rewards  and  punish- 


THE    DARK    SIDE.  67 

ments.  This  was  the  view  entertained  by  Job's  comfort- 
ers, who  argued  against  him  on  such  a  basis ;  and  the 
view  was  not  uncommon  among  the  heathen.  Even  in 
modern  times,  this  checkered  aspect  of  human  society  and 
individual  experience,  has  perplexed  and  confounded 
many,  who  have  not  drank  deeply  into  the  spirit  of  reve- 
lation. Aside  from  that  fountain  of  truth,  it  is  not,  indeed, 
strange,  that  men  should  be  confounded  by  what  they 
witness.  When  they  see  whole  cities  and  districts  sud- 
denly overturned  by  the  earthquake  or  the  volcano,  or 
deluged  by  water ;  when  the  tornado  spreads  desolation 
over  fertile  regions  ;  when  the  pestilence  moves  in  terror 
over  the  land ;  when  famine  and  war  convert  regions, 
populous  and  fertile,  into  uninhabited  deserts  ;  and  when 
in  individual  experience  the  best  laid  plans  prove  abor- 
tive, and  misfortune  and  sickness  paralyze  the  most  vigor- 
ous frame,  it  does  seem  as  if  the  arm  of  God's  punitive 
justice  were  laid  bare,  and  as  if  he  were  giving  painful 
exhibitions  of  his  hatred  of  sin.  The  world,  indeed,  seems 
covered  with  the  cloud  of  Divine  vengeance,  and  we 
see  the  lightnings  flashing  from  it,  and  the  winds  and  the 
floods  rushing  with  fury  from  its  caverns.  And  yet  the 
destruction  falls  on  the  just  as  well  as  the  unjust,  the  in- 
nocent as  well  as  the  guilty,  and  we  wonder  why  Infinite 
Wisdom  and  Justice  do  not  make  a  distinction. 

On  the  other  hand,  when  none  of  these  terriffic  mes- 
sengers of  wrath  are  abroad,  and  we  go  forth  to  survey 


68  THE    BRIGHT    SIDE. 

the  world,  we  find  a  thousand  tokens  of  benevolence 
smiling  upon  us  on  the  face  of  society.  Over  vast  re- 
gions waves  the  olive  of  peace,  and  happy  millions  sit  un- 
der their  own  vines  and  fig  trees,  with  none  to  molest  or 
make  them  afraid.  The  gory  battle-field  waves  with 
golden  grain ;  new  cities  and  towns  are  springing  up  on 
the  ruins  of  those  buried  by  the  earthquake,  the  volca- 
no, or  the  flood, — science  and  art  unite  to  multiply  the 
comforts  and  elegancies  of  life, — multitudes  are  rising 
from  the  degradation  of  ignorance  and  superstition  ;  the 
chains  of  the  oppressor  are  snapping  asunder,  and  we 
hear  the  shout  of  freedom  from  disenthralled  millions. 
And  when  we  descend  to  the  examination  of  individuals, 
we  find  peace  and  prosperity,  health  and  happiness,  to  be 
the  law,  and  suffering,  poverty,  sickness,  and  misery,  to 
be  the  exception.  If  the  former  view  brought  before  us 
the  cloud  of  Divine  Justice  with  its  lightning  and  thun- 
der, the  latter  spreads  over  it  a  bow  of  hope  and  prom- 
ise. It  is  the  voice  of  nature,  telling  us  in  language  not 
to  be  mistaken,  that  if  the  world  does  exhibit,  here  and 
there,  evidences  of  God's  displeasure  against  sin, — if  we 
do  see  marks  of  a  fallen  condition  of  the  human  family, 
still  it  is  not  a  condition  without  hope.  Bright  rays  of 
mercy  are  smiling  upon  its  darkness,  speaking  in  gentle 
tones  of  Divine  forgiveness  to  the  penitent.  Nature,  in- 
deed, with  a  thousand  tongues,  tells  us  that  it  is  a  world 
of  probation  and  discipline  ;  a  mere  preparatory  state  for 


HUMAN   HOPES.  69 

a  final  and  far  more  exalted  condition.  And  this  voice 
solves  satisfactorily  the  enigma  of  this  world,  and  justi- 
fies the  ways  of  God  to  man,  and  brings  back  peace  and 
hope  into  the  bosom  of  dejection,  doubt  and  despair. 

In  the  fifth  place,  the  rainbow  is  a  striking  emblem  of 
human  hopes. 

Although  the  laws  by  which  the  rainbow  is  produced 
are  everywhere  the  same,  yet  it  presents  itself  to  our  view 
in  two  quite  different  circumstances,  "in  the  one  case  it 
precedes,  and  in  the  other  it  follows,  the  storm.  When 
it  appears  at  the  rising  of  the  sun,  it  is  painted  upon  the 
approaching  storm,  and  when  at  the  setting  sun,  upon  the 
retiring  storm.  Hence  the  morning  bow  presages  the 
storm,  and  the  evening  bow  gives  promise  of  a  subse- 
quent day  with  a  clear  sky  and  an  invigorating  atmos- 
phere :  or  as  the  homely  proverb  has  it, 

"  A  bow  in  the  morning : — 
Let  sailor's  take  warning  : 

A  rainbow  at  night, 

Is  the  sailor's  delight." 

Now  the  morning  bow  aptly  represents  those  human 
hopes  that  are  destined  to  end  in  disappointment  and  de- 
feat. And  these  hopes  are  for  the  most  part  such  as  are 
inspired  in  the  morning  of  life.  At  that  period,  when 
the  sun  of  life  is  first  above  the  horizon,  the  clouds  of  care 
and  suffering  have  not  yet  cast  a  shadow  over  its  bright- 

7 


70  HUMAN   HOPES 

ness,  and  its  rays  throw  a  deceitful  splendor  over  the  fu- 
ture. Then  too,  the  bow  of  promise  smiles  so  sweetly, 
as  to  lure  on  the  inexperienced  youth,  and  inspire  hopes 
that  can  never  be  realized.  He  has  not  yet  learnt  that 
this  bow  of  promise,  like  the  rainbow,  is  painted  upon  a 
rising  storm,  and  owes  its  brilliancy  to  the  storm.  He  is 
amazed,  therefore,  and  disheartened,  when  he  sees  the 
clouds  begin  to  rise,  and  the  sun  passes  behind  them,  and 
the  bow  fades  away,  and  the  storms  of  misfortune  com- 
mence. It  is  well  in  such  circumstances  if  he  does  not  ut- 
terly despair,  and  give  over  his  efforts  after  future  good. 
Some  do  thus  yield  to  the  power  of  adversity.  But  oth- 
ers nobly  breast  the  storm,  and  trust  that  when  its  fury  is 
spent,  the  sun  will  reappear,  and  new  and  better  hopes 
shall  not  only  spring  up,  but  be  realized ;  if  not  in  this 
world,  yet  in  another,  far  brighter  and  nobler.  And  to 
produce  such  a  state  of  feeling  and  action,  is  precisely  the 
object  God  has  in  view  in  thus  blasting  earthly  hopes. 

The  morning  bow,  however,  does  aptly  symbolize  some 
human  hopes  that  extend  into  eternity.  If  not  built 
upon  the  right  foundation,  those  hopes,  however 
confident,  will  never  be  fulfilled.  Nay,  worse  than 
this :  they  will  end  in  a  storm  that  will  know  no 
mitigation  and  no  end.  Every  hope  will  thus  termi- 
nate that  is  not  founded  on  Jesus  Christ  and  him 
crucified  ;  every  hope  that  does  not  begin  with  the  wash- 
ing of  regeneration  and  the  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost : 


SYMBOLIZED.  71 

every  hope  that  rests  on  external  rites  in  religion, 
or  on  mere  worldly  morality,  or  on  fitful  frames  instead  of 
a  deep  seated  abiding  principle  of  piety  ; — love  to  God 
and  love  to  man*  Oh,  how  painful  to  think  how  many 
hopes  are  indulged  among  nominal  Christians,  that  will 
prove  like  the  spider's  web,  or  like  the  giving  up  of  the 
ghost  I  With  comparative  composure  can  we  see  earth- 
ly hopes  crushed,  and  those  who  entertained  them  stand- 
ing desolate  and  disconsolate  :  for  that  very  desolation 
may  lead  them  to  secure  hopes  that  shall  prove  an  anchor 
to  the  soul  both  sure  and  stedfast,  in  the  final  conflict  of 
nature.  But  how  overwhelming  the  thought,  that  when, 
a  man  stands  on  the  brink  of  life,  and  a  hope  of  heaven 
is  the  only  support  which  can  buoy  him  up  amid  the  angry 
waters,  Oh,  to  find  that  this  is  a  delusion,  and  like  a  mill 
stone  will  drag  him  to  the  bottom,  who,  who,  can  contem- 
plate without  anguish  his  condition  !  And  yet  you  and  I, 
my  Christian  brother,  may  find  that  condition  to  be  our 
own. 

Contemplate  now  the  rainbow  of  the  evening,  or  rather 
of  the  setting  sun,  and  you  have  a  beautiful  emblem  of 
hopes,  temporal  and  eternal,  that  are  true  and  will  become 
reality.  And  a  striking  difference  between  these  hopes 
and  such  as  will  perish,  lies  in  the  fact,  that  they  follow, 
instead  of  preceding,  the  storms  of  life.  After  the  clouds 
and  the  darkness,  and  it  may  be  the  tempests  of  affliction, 
and  disappointment  have  passed  by,  God  impresses  upon 


72  REGENERATION 

those  who  have  endured  them  the  tokens  of  his  approba- 
tion and  favor,  and  gives  them  a  bright  earnest  of  happier 
days  ;  it  may  be  on  earth,  but  assuredly  in  heaven. 
Bravely  and  patiently  have  they  stood  at  the  post  of 
duty,  when  the  winds  and  the  storm  beat  upon  them, 
resolving  to  trust  in  Jehovah,  though  he  slew  them ;  and 
now  they  have  their  reward.  Thus  did  light  and  peace 
break  in  upon  Job  after  his  fiery  trials ;  and  thus  have 
ten  thousand  others  found  that  their  afflictions  were  only 
necessary  precursors  of  days  of  rest  and  happiness.  And 
as  to  heavenly  hopes,  they  are  almost  as  necessarily 
preceded  by  storms  and  tempests  in  the  moral  world, 
as  the  rainbow  of  evening  is  by  those  in  the  natural 
world.  Says  Paul,  we  glory  in  tribulation  ;  knowing  that 
tribulation  worlceth  patience,  and  patience  experience,  and 
experience  hope :  and  hope  maketh  not  ashamed.  Our 
light  affliction,  which  is  but  for  a  moment,  worketh  for  its 
a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory. 

Christian  brother,  I  know  that  your  thoughts  will  re- 
cur in  this  connection  to  the  time  when  your  soul  was 
first  brought  out  of  the  darkness  of  nature  into  the  mar- 
vellous light  of  the  Gospel.  A  sense  of  unpardoned  sin 
had  brought  a  frightful  cloud  over  your  prospects  for 
eternity ;  and  ever  and  anon  you  saw  the  lightning  of 
Sinai  leaping  forth  from  its  bosom,  threatening  you  with 
the  instant  destruction  which  you  felt  that  you  deserved. 
Your  earnest  cry  for  help  was  answered  only  by  the  heavy 


SYMBOLIZED.  73 

thunder  of  the  Divine  Law ;  and  you  sought  in  vain  for 
any  refuge  from  the  pelting  storm.  Hope  died  in  your 
bosom,  and  despair  was  settling  down  upon  your  pros- 
pects, when  suddenly,  and  as  if  almost  by  miracle,  the 
tempest  lulled,  the  blue  sky  reappeared,  your  eye  caught 
the  bow  of  the  everlasting  covenant,  the  Sun  of  Right- 
eousness looked  through  the  clouds  with  noonday  bright- 
ness, your  soul  was  filled  with  light,  and  love,  and  exulting 
joy,  and  heaven  and  earth  with  the  glory  of  God.  Oh, 
can  you  look  upon  the  natural  rainbow,  and  not  be  re- 
minded of  that  amazing  and  triumphant  hour,  when  you 
exclaimed, 

11  This  relief, 

"  This  change, — whence  are  they  ?    almost  it  might  seem 
"  I  never  Hv'd  till  now, — all  else  had  been  a  dream." 

But  the  closing  scene  of  the  true  Christian's  life,  as 
well  as  its  commencement,  is  most  impressively  symbol- 
ized by  the  rainbow  of  evening ;  not  to  speak  of  that 
beautiful  silver  bow  which  the  rays  of  the  moon  unfre- 
quently  exhibit  upon  the  evening  clouds,  and  which  is 
called  the  Lunar  Iris  :  a  phenomenon  which  a  man  may 
think  himself  fortunate  to  have  seen  once  in  the  course  of 
an  ordinary  life  ;  and  which,  moreover,  does  finely  repre- 
sent the  condition  of  some  shrinking  yet  amiable  Chris- 
tians as  death  approaches.  But  I  speak  now  of  that  rich 

7* 


74  A    RAINBOW 

scene,  which  we  sometimes  witness  at  the  hour  of  sunset, 
when  the  tempests  have  subsided,  and  the  day  closes  with 
a  splendor  which  none  can  appreciate  but  those  who  have 
seen  it.  Let  me  refer  to  an  example,  which  has  not  yet 
escaped  from  any  of  our  memories,* 

The  sultry  and  almost  suffocating  condition  of  the 
atmosphere  in  the  forenoon,  foreboded  a  thunder  tem- 
pest in  the  afternoon.  Accordingly  the  brazen  thun- 
der heads  began  to  shoot  up  magnificently  along  the  west- 
ern horizon,  reposing  upon  dense  darkness  beneath. 
Higher  and  higher  they  mounted  upwards  as  the  sun  de- 
clined, and  at  length  he  disappeared  behind  them,  and  the 
distant  thunder  began  to  mutter.  Louder  and  louder  did 
it  roll  along,  causing  the  solid  mountains  to  rock  and 
tremble.  The  sharp  and  angry  lightning  too,  darted 
from  cloud  to  cloud,  and  sometimes  to  the  earth,  and  na- 
ture seemed  waiting  in  stillness  for  the  full  force  of  the 
onset.  At  length  we  heard  the  roar  of  the  wind  and  the 
rain,  and  in  a  few  moments,  torrents  of  water  were  swept 
through  the  air,  the  trees  reeled  and  bowed  beneath  the 
impulse,  flash  after  flash  of  lightning  in  quick  succession 
illuminated  the  darkened  air,  and  an  almost  continued 


*  Exhibited  June  23d,  1 848,  at  Amherst :  also  in  equal  splendor, 
on  the  10th  of  July,  1849  ;  and  is  feebly  represented  upon  the  ac- 
companying sketch.  I  say  feebly,  for  the  original  (which  led  to  the 
preparation  of  this  discourse,)  was  as  magnificent  a  scene  as  I  ever 
witnessed  in  nature. 


DESCRIBED.  75 

roar  of  thunder,  reminded  the  observer  of  his  impotence 
when  God  unchains  the  elements.  But  ere  long  the  fury 
of  the  tempest  passed  by,  and  we  looked  with  relieved 
feelings  upon  the  retiring  cloud.  Soon  the  blue  sky  ap- 
peared along  the  western  horizon, — the  furious  winds 
were  hushed,  the  rain  ceased,  and  the  sun  looked  forth 
with  a  brighter  and  more  joyous  face,  and  spread  a  glory 
over  the  landscape  unknown  before.  Then  too,  the  dark 
retiring  cloud  was  lighted  up  by  the  magnificent  rainbow, 
whose  double  and  concentric  arches  arrested  every  eye 
and  interested  every  heart,  not  dead  to  nature's  charms, 
nor  insensible  to  the  assurance  thence  derived,  that 
though  for  a  time  the  elements  may  be  lashed  into  fury, 
the  omnipotent  God,  who  sits  behind  the  elements,  holds 
them  in  his  fist,  and  will  say  to  them,  thus  far  shall  ye  go 
but  no  farther.  Magnificent,  indeed,  was  the  scene  that 
now  spread  itself  before  us.  Along  the  eastern  and  south- 
ern horizon,  the  black  cloud  was  still  extended,  and  over 
its  face  we  still  saw  the  flickering  lightning  play,  and  we 
heard  the  thunder  dying  away  in  the  distance.  The  pu- 
rified atmosphere  gave  a  free  passage  to  the  horizontal 
rays  of  the  sun,  so  that  the  whole  landscape  presented  an 
unwonted  distinctness  of  outline  and  richness  of  coloring  ; 
and  it  seemed  as  if  we  could  almost  touch  the  distant 
mountain  tops.  On  the  south,  (for  I  will  describe  the 
phenomena  as  they  fell  under  my  own  eye  on  the  23d  of 
June,)  the  right  hand  extremity  of  the  rainbow's  arch  re- 


76  THE    CHRISTIAN 

posed  against  the  side  of  Mount  Norwottuck,  and  its  left 
hand  extremity,  against  Mount  Lincoln,  while  its  centre 
was  occupied  by  the  College  Edifices,  which  never  seem- 
ed so  much  honored  as  when  surmounted  by  this  coronal 
arch,  placed  over  them  by  God's  own  hand.  And  then 
what  a  sunset  followed !  As  the  rainbow  brightened  and 
rose  higher  and  higher  with  the  sinking  sun,  all  the  space 
within  its  arch  assumed  the  aspect  of  embossed  gold,  in 
fine  contrast  with  the  darker  shades  without  the  circle. 
And  yet  the  clouds  on  every  side  changed  their  form  and 
coloring  continually ;  and  the  whole  scene  deepened  in  in- 
terest till  the  sun  sunk  behind  the  hills ;  nor  could  the 
man  of  genuine  taste  turn  away  from  the  fascinating 
scene,  till  the  darkness  hid  it  from  his  view.  And  even 
then,  he  knew  that  such  a  sunset,  although  a  dark  night 
might  follow,  is  a  sure  harbinger  of  a  glorious  morning  on 
the  subsequent  day :  agreeably  to  the  beautiful  lines  of 
Dr.  Watts,  upon  the  setting  su.n. 

"  And  now  the  fair  traveler's  come  to  the  west ; 
His  rays  are  all  gold,  and  his  beauties  are  best ; 
He  paints  the  sky  gay  as  he  sinks  to  his  rest, 
And  foretels  a  bright  rising  again." 

Analagous  to  this,  I  may  truly  say,  has  been  the  clos- 
ing scene  of  many  an  eminent  and  devoted  Christian. 
His  life  may  have  been  filled  with  trials  and  conflicts, 


AT  LIFE'S  CLOSE.  77 

and  often  may  his  earthly  hopes  have  been  blasted.  In- 
deed, such  discipline  seems  almost  essential  to  a  full  pre- 
paration for  a  triumphant  departure  to  a  brighter  world. 
But  when  the  storms  of  life  swept  over  him,  and  dark- 
ness enshrouded  him,  faith  still  kept  her  firm  hold  of  the 
Divine  Promise,  and  felt  confident  that  the  tempest  and 
the  darkness  would  at  length  give  place  to  the  Sun  of 
Righteousness  with  healing  in  his  wings.  And  now  that 
blessed  time  has  arrived.  The  bow  of  Christian  hope 
spans  the  receding  darkness,  and  the  sweet  light  of  eter- 
nal glory  comes  in  through  the  gloom  of  the  grave.  The 
tempests  of  human  passion  are  hushed,  and  no  wave  ruf- 
fles the  ocean  of  eternity,  whose  quiet  surface  invites  the 
soul  to  launch  forth.  As  the  Christian  looks  backward, 
the  bow  of  the  everlasting  covenant  between  God  and  his 
soul,  shuts  out  from  his  view  his  past  sins  and  sorrows, 
and  he  feels  sure  they  can  follow  him  no  farther.  And  as 
he  looks  forward,  so  bright  is  the  light  of  eternal  glory, 
that  shoots  down  the  dark  valley  and  shadow  of  death, 
that  it  lights  up  all  the  scene  with  unearthly  splendor., 
True,  that  dark  valley  is  before  him,  and  he  must  now 
pass  through  it.  But  the  night  will  be  short,  and  he 
knows  that  when  the  morning  comes,  it  will  usher  in  a 
.  day  of  indescribable  and  unending  glory.  He  will  not 
find  there,  indeed,  the  sun  or  the  moon  :  fw  the  glory  of 
God  enlightens  it,  and  the  Lamb  is  the  light  thereof;  and 
there  shall  be  no  night  there.  Nay,  so  strong  is  faith  now, 


78  A    GLIMPSE 

and  so  wide  the  vista  which  she  opens  into  the  unseen 
world,  that  death  is  robbed  of  his  terrors  and  the  grave  of 
its  gloom.  You  see  indeed  the  earthly  house  of  his  tab- 
ernacle crumbling  down ;  but  not  till  the  building  of 
God,  the  house  not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heav- 
ens, is  all  ready  and  waiting  to  receive  him.  Friends 
stand  around  to  mourn  his  dissolution  :  but  they  will  see 
only  a  triumph  and  a  coronation.  So  much  of  the  light 
and  the  spirit  of  heaven  have  come  down  to  him,  that  the 
last  enemy  lays  aside  his  useless  dart,  and  comes  only  as 
a  welcome  messenger,  to  cut  the  last  tie  that  binds,  him  to 
earth,  and  strip  off  the  vestments  of  the  mortal,  that  the 
robe  of  the  immortal  may  be  put  on.  Oh,  thou  depart- 
ing spirit,  shall  we  call  this  death  ?  I  know  that  thou 
wilt  answer,  Death  is  swallowed  up  in  victory  ! 

Finally )  the  rainbow  affords  us  a  glimpse  of  the  mag- 
nificence of  the  heavenly  world,  and  the  glory  of  God. 

In  the  book  of  Revelations  John  says :  After  this  I 
looked  and  beheld  a  door  was  opened  in  heaven :  and  the 
jirst  voice  which  I  heard  was  as  it  were  of  a  trumpet  talk- 
ing with  me,  which  said,  come  up  hither  and  1  will  show 
thee  things  which  must  be  hereafter.  Ar^d  immediately  I 
was  in  the  Spirit ;  and  behold  a  throne,  was  set  in  heaven 
and  one  sat  on  the  throne.  And  he  that  sat  was  to  look 
upon  like  a  jasper  and  a  sardine  stone  :  and  there  was  a 
rainbow  round  about  the  throne,  in  sight  like  unto  an  emer- 
ald. I  cannot  fall  in  with  the  current  opinion  among 


OF   THE    HEAVENLY   WORLD.  79 

Christian  writers,  that  the  various  objects  here  enumera- 
ted,— the  throne,  the  jasper,  the  sardine  stone,  and  the. 
rainbow,  are  intended  to  represent  some  moral  quality  or 
transaction:  that  the  rainbow,  for  instance,  means  the 
covenant  of  God  with  his  people.  I  regard  the  descrip- 
tion rather  as  an  attempt  to  give  us  some  idea,  by  appeals 
to  sensible  representations,  of  the  magnificence  of  the 
heavenly  world.  And  I  am  the  more  persuaded  of  the 
correctness  of  this  view  by  a  similar  representation  in 
the  book  of  Ezekiel,  in  which  it  is  said,  As  the  appear- 
ance of  the  low  that  is  in  the  cloud  in  the  day  of  rain,  so 
was  the  appearance  of  the  brightness  round  about.  This 
was  the  appearance  of  the  likeness  of  the  glory  of  the  Lord. 
Heaven  cannot,  indeed,  as  we  learn  from  Paul's  beatific 
vision,  be  described  in  human  language.  But  by  bring- 
ing before  the  imagination  the  most  brilliant  objects  of 
the  natural  world,  we  get  some  faint  conception  of  its 
magnificence  ;  or  rather,  we  learn  that  the  most  splendid 
scenes  of  earth  are  only  faint  emblems  of  the  New  Jeru- 
salem and  the  Glory  of  God  which  forms  its  light.  John 
seems  not  content  with  the  ordinary  rainbow  as  an  em- 
blem of  the  glory  that  is  about  the  throne  of  God.  He 
heightens  the  effect  by  making  the  whole  bow  of  an  em- 
erald hue  ;  a  color  unsurpassed  among  the  choicest  gems 
of  nature.  He  seems  disposed  to  tax  imagination  to  the 
utmost  in  its  conceptions  of  material  beauty,  that  it  may 
rise  to  higher  conceptions  of  uncreated  and  heavenly 


80  THE    THRONE    OF    GOD. 

splendor.  He  thus  teaches  us  that  we  need  not  fear 
•forming  too  vivid  conceptions  of  those  glories  that  will 
burst  upon  the  vision  of  the  righteous  when  they  tread  the 
new  earth,  and  the  canopy  of  the  new  heavens  is  arched 
over  them.  As  we  look  then  upon  the  literal  rainbow 
and  admire  its  beauties,  let  us  apply  to  it  the  conception 
of  the  seer  of  Patmos,  and  change  it  into  an  emerald  arch 
in  the  heavens.  Then  let  imagination,  with  that  rainbow 
in  her  hand,  mount  up  to  the  New  Jerusalem,  and  with  it 
encircle  the  throne  of  God  ;  and  then  remember  that  even 
this  splendid  image  is  only  a  faint  shadow  of  the  glory 
that  will  meet  the  disembodied  spirit  as  it  enters  the  cel- 
estial city,  and  that  higher  and  higher  glories  shall  open 
upon  the  soul  as  it  rises  in  capacity  and  bliss,  through 
everlasting  ages.  Oh,  what  preparation, — Oh,  what  pu- 
rity does  such  a  world  demand  ! 


THE    EUTHANASIA    OP  AUTUMN. 


THE  EUTHANASIA  OF  AUTUMN- 


WE  ALL  DO  FADE  AS  A  LEAF. — Isaiah  64  :  6. 

He  who  studies  the  anatomy  and  physiology  of  ani- 
mals and  plants,  will  be  struck  with  the  many  analogies 
of  structure  and  function  between  them.  In  both  he  will 
find  a  vital  principle,  whose  presence  is  essential  to 
every  function,  and  whose  absence  is  death.  Both  also 
are  sustained  by  food  received  from  without.  Hence,  or- 
gans are  needed  and  provided  for  preserving  and  intro- 
ducing this  food  into  the  system.  Is  it  digested  by  ani- 
mals ?  So  it  is  by  plants.  Have  animals  organs  for  re- 
ceiving and  decomposing  the  atmosphere  ?  So  have 
plants :  and  in  both  cases  is  the  oxygen  essential  to  life 
and  health.  If  there  be  a  beautiful  chemistry  at  work 
to  transform  the  gross  materials  of  food  into  the  proxi- 
mate principles  of  animals,  so  it  is  in  plants.  If  the  for- 
mer have  organs  for  separating  and  throwing  off  the  pois- 


84  "       ANALOGIES 

onous  and  redundant  matter,  that  finds  its  way  into  the 
system,  so  have  the  other.  As  there  is  in  animals  a  sys- 
tem for  the  circulation  of  the  blood,  whereby  it  is  first 
brought  in  contact  with  the  air,  and  then  propelled  by 
the  heart  into  every  part  of  the  frame,  that  every  organ 
may  be  supplied  with  nourishment,  so,  by  a  force  equally 
effectual,  called,  endosmosis  and  exosmosis,  and  by  ves- 
sels equally  well  adapted  to  the  purpose,  is  the  sap  of 
vegetables  made  to  go  its  roundj  and  supply  every  part 
with  the  materials  for  growth,  and  the  elimination  of  the 
various  peculiar  principles  found  in  plants.  Plants  too, 
like  animals,  are  liable  to  disease,  and  from  the  same 
causes :  causes  which  sometimes  can,  and  sometimes  can- 
not, be  avoided :  causes  sometimes  obvious  and  striking, 
and  at  other  times  too  recondite  to  be  understood,  or  even 
discovered.  The  result,  however,  is  the  same  in  all  or- 
ganic nature,  viz.,  decay  and  death.  Nay,  if  there  be  no- 
actual  disease,  decay  gradually  comes  on,  and  the  vital 
functions  drag  heavily  along,  till  at  length  life  departs, 
and  leaves  the  animal  or  the  vegetable  to  the  disorgani- 
zing agencies  of  chemistry,  to  revert  to  its  original  ele- 
ments. 

The  incipient  stages  of  this  decay  and  dissolution  are 
alluded  to  in  the  text,  We  all  do  fade  as  a  leaf.  As  the 
leaf  changes  its  summer  greenness  for  the  brown  of  au- 
tumn, and  at  length  falls,  and  is  driven  by  the  winds 
along  the  surface,  and  is  finally  decomposed,  so  the  beau- 


BETWEEN  ANIMALS   AND    PLANTS. 

ty,  strength,  and  glory  of  man,  as  the  autumn  of  life 
comes  on,  lose  their  brightness,  and  sink  ere  long  into  the 
darkness  and  dishonor  of  the  grave.  At  a  season  of  the 
year  then,  when  the  vegetable  world  is  undergoing  this 
transformation,  it  is  wise  to  learn  the  lessons  taught  us  by 
the  fading  leaf.  For  it  is  the  intention  of  God  that 
every  natural  as  well  as  providential  event  should  be 
turned  by  us  into  moral  instruction. 

The  first  moral  lesson  taught  us  by  the  fading  leafy  is 
the  certainty  of  the  decay  and  dissolution  of  our  bodily 
powers. 

The  analogy  of  the  seasons  to  human  life,  has  long 
since  been  sung  by  the  poet : 

"  Behold,  fond  man, 

See  here  thy  pictured  life :  pass  some  few  years 
Thy  flowering  spring ;  thy  summer's  ardent  strength; 
Thy  sober  autumn,  ripening  into  age ; 
And  pale  concluding  winter  comes  at  last, 
And  shuts  the  scene." 

The  contrast  is  indeed  striking,  between  the  rich  green- 
ness and  expanding  vigor  of  the  summer,  and  the  shrivel- 
led and  decaying  aspect  of  autumn.  Nor  do  we  see  any  rea- 
son for  such  a  change  in  the  physiology  of  vegetable  life, 
except  in  a  change  of  temperature.  We  cannot  see  why 
all  the  functions  of  animal  or  vegetable  life  might  not  be 
performed  indefinitely,  under  the  same  circumstances. 

8* 


86  DECAY 

But  experience  teaches  us,  that  after  a  certain  time,  they 
will  cease  their  operation,  even  though  no  blighting  influ- 
ence come  over  them.  This  is  old  age,  in  the  vegetable 
as  well  as  the  animal.  And  it  is  a  law  of  nature,  whose 
operation  no  care  or  prudence  can  arrest.  We  may  con- 
tend with  it  for  a  time,  and  sometimes  the  vital  principle 
will  struggle  long  before  it  yields  ;  and  now  and  then, 
generation  after  generation  see  some  vegetable  or  animal 
Nestor  outliving  them  all,  and  bidding  fair  to  triumph 
over  the  last  enemy.  But  in  that  war,  it  is  found  at  last, 
there  is  no  discharge,  and  only  one  conqueror. 

There  exists,  however,  among  men  a  most  powerful 
tendency  to  forget  this  great  law  of  decay  and  mortality, 
and  to  put  far  off  the  evil  day.  In  respect  to  our  worldly 
affairs,  indeed,  this  tendency  seems  most  wisely  adapted 
to  promote  them.  For  there  are  those,  who  through  fear 
of  death  are  all  their  life  time  subject  to  bondage  ;  and 
they  accomplish  but  little  for  the  world.  Nevertheless, 
this  disposition  to  overlook  this  inevitable  tendency  of 
our  physical  system,  exerts  a  most  disastrous  influence 
upon  our  higher  interests ;  because  we  are  led  by  it  to 
put  off  a  preparation  for  our  departure  out  of  the  world 
till  the  summons  comes,  and  then  the  stern  and  unpitying 
messenger  will  not  wait  for  us.  Therefore  it  is,  that 
Providence  has  placed  all  along  our  path,  mementos  of 
our  approaching  decay  and  dissolution.  We  see  our 
companions,  nay,  our  dearest  friends,  dropping  all  around 


OP   OUR  POWERS.  87 

us,  and  their  glory  departing.  In  the  occasional  feeble- 
ness and  pain  that  assail  the  strongest,  and  are  the  con- 
stant companions  of  multitudes,  we  have  internal  testi- 
mony of  our  own,  to  our  approaching  dissolution.  And 
as  if  all  this  were  not  enough,  we  read  the  same  lesson 
in  all  nature  around  us.  Amid  all  the  glories  that  meet 
us  throughout  creation^  there  is  a  strange  mixture  of  de- 
cay and  decomposition.  Even  the  most  solid  materials 
of  our  globe,  the  adamantine  rocks  and  the  everlasting 
hills,  are  crumbling  down,  and  spreading  apparent  ruin 
over  the  surface.  And  the  proudest  human  monuments, — 
man's  Babel  towers  and  brazen  walks,  need  only  the 
ruthless  tooth  of  time  to  grind  them  to  dust.  But  it  is  at 
the  season  of  the  fading  leaf,  that  nature  utters  her  loud- 
est warning  ;  and  this  was  the  lesson  intended  by  the  text 
to  be  most  deeply  impressed  upon  us  as  we  look  over  the 
changing  landscape. 

A  second  lesson,  which  we  should  learn  from  the  fading 
leafy  is  the  brevity  of  human  beauty  and  glory. 

It  seems  but  a  day  since  we  first  saw  the  vegetable 
world  coming  forth  from  its  wintry  grave ;  and  casting 
aside  its  fleecy  winding  sheet,  clothe  itself  with  a  mantle 
of  green,  and  cover  its  head  with  a  flowery  wreath.  Our 
hearts  beat  quick,  responsive  to  the  strong  pulse  of  na- 
ture, propelling  the  vivifying  and  beautifying  fluids 
through  every  part  of  her  system.  We  gazed  with  de- 
light and  poetic  rapture  upon  the  beauties  of  spring,  and 


88  BREVITY 

soon  saw  them  swelling  and  developing  into  the  full  glories 
of  summer.  Hill  and  dale,  woodland  and  open  field, 
feasted  the  eye  with  their  mellow  tints,  their  deep  green 
waving  foliage,  and  intermingled  flowers.  We  did  not 
see  why  we  might  not  for  years  be  regaled  by  the  zeph- 
yrs that  came  to  our  senses,  loaded  with  health  and  fra- 
grance and  delicious  song.  But  a  few  short  days  and 
nights  only  had  passed,  when,  at  the  slight  touch  of  frost, 
the  delicate  currents  were  chilled,  and  soon  the  changing 
and  fading  and  falling  leaf  told  us  that  summer  had  been 
driven  from  her  throne,  and  her  glories  were  trodden  in 
the  dust. 

And  now  the  leaf 

Incessant  rustles  from  the  mournful  grove  : 
Oft  startling  such  as  studious  walk  below. 
And  slowly  circles  through  the  waving  air.' 
Fled  is  the  blasted  verdure  of  the  fields, 
And  shrunk  into  their  buds,  the  flowery  race 
Their  sunny  robes  resign. 

In  like  manner,  in  the  spring  of  life,  we  look  with  de- 
light upon  the  germinating  and  expanding  beauties  and 
charms  of  man.  With  quick  elastic  step,  he  bounds  be- 
fore us.  The  sparkling  eye  tells  us  of  the  strong  emo- 
tions of  the  soul  within.  The  rose  flourishes  on  his  cheek, 
and  the  full  and  strong  muscle,  with  an  excess  of  animal 
spirits,  gives  fair  proportion  to  his  form,  and  agility  and 


OF  MAN'S  GLORY.  89 

power  to  his  movements.  The  heart  beats  so  full  and 
strong,  and  life  glows  so  vividly  in  his  whole  frame,  that 
we  look  upon  him  as  almost  invulnerable  to  the  assaults 
of  disease  and  decay  ;  and  fancy  that  he  will  long  resist 
the  universal  law.  He  too,  exhilirated  by  the  full  tide 
of  health  that  courses  through  his  veins,  thinks  not  of 
sickness  and  death,  except  as  possibilities,  which  he  may 
mock  at  many  a  long  year,  and  he  looks  with  a  mixture 
of  pity  and  contempt  upon  the  lank  and  sallow  invalid. 
You  lose  sight  of  him  for  a  brief  period  :  and  when  you 
meet  him  again,  you  are  amazed  at  the  change.  The 
sunk  and  languid  eye,  the  pale  and  hollow  cheek,  the 
emaciated  and  ungainly  form,  the  curved  spine,  the  slow 
and  trembling  gait,  the  hollow  voice,  the  feeble  diges- 
tion, the  tardy  pulse,  the  failing  muscle,  the  irritable 
nerve,  the  mental  torpor  and  dejection ;  all,  all,  make 
you  feel  that  the  beauty  and  glory  have  departed  from 
him  :  and  you  see  too  how  the  world,  casting  one  look  of 
pity,  perhaps,  upon  what  was  once  their  admiration  and 
their  idol,  turn  away  from  him  with  a  sigh,  as  the  wreck 
of  former  greatness,  and  seek  some  other  object,  in  the 
bloom  and  vigor  of  life,  on  which  to  fasten  their  regards. 
Oh,  how  great  and  melancholy  the  transformation  ?  And 
how  soon  too  has  it  been  effected !  You  were  not  ready 
for  it ;  and  it  makes  you  sad.  For  this  individual  was 
perhaps  elevated  to  a  lofty  seat,  and  wielded  mighty  influ- 
ences, and  stood  forth  as  an  illustrious  example  of  hu- 


90  WE   DO   FADE 

man  glory  and  excellency.  Yet  he  could  neither  con- 
quer nor  resist  the  universal  law,  that  tramples  in  the 
dust  all  human  beauty  and  human  glory. 

And  well  would  it  be,  when  we  witness  such  monu- 
ments of  the  brevity  of  man's  most  splendid  characteris- 
tics, if  we  could  make  the  lesson  personal.  But  though 
we  can  see  that  others  are  losing  their  charms,  and  their 
vigor,  and  mourn  over  it,  how  amazed  often  are  we, 
when  an  intimation  is  made  to  us,  that  others  witness  the 
same  symptoms  of  decay  in  our  ourselves.  Grey  hairs 
are  here  and  there  upon  him,  says  the  prophet,  yet  he 
knoweth  it  not.  He  is  amazed  that  any  should  think  him 
old,  or  failing  in  his  physical  or  intellectual  powers.  He 
resists  as  long  as  possible  the  opticians  aid  to  his  flattened 
eye-ball,  and  tries  to  convince  himself  that  he  has  still  the 
elastic  vigor  of  muscle,  and  mental  energy  of  youth.  But 
alas,  we  all  do  fade  as  the  leaf ;  and  to  close  our  eyes 
against  the  evidences  of  the  fact,  is  only  to  treasure  up 
bitter  disappointment  for  the  hour  when  the  visor  shall 
be  torn  from  our  eyes,  by  time's  ruthless  hand.  Better 
is  it  to  listen  to  the  lesson  which  decaying  nature  reads  to 
us  so  impressively  at  this  season  of  the  year,  and  not 
make  ourselves  the  ridicule  of  the  world,  by  striving  to 
hide  the  marks  of  decaying  energies,  which  their  keen 
eyes  will  be  sure  to  discover,  long  before  we  see  them 
ourselves. 

Such  I  doubt  not  is  the  most  important  instruction 


AS    THE   LEAF.  91 

which  is  taught  us  in  the  text.  And  this  may  be  learnt 
from  the  changes  in  nature  in  all  parts  of  the  world,  save 
tropical  regions,  where  perpetual  summer  reigns,  and  the 
fading  leaf  drops  almost  unobserved.  In  such  climates 
this  text  could  have  little  force :  and  so  its  impressiveness 
would  vary  as  we  pass  from  the  equator  through  differ- 
ent isothermal  zones.  But  in  this  country,  the  phenom- 
ena of  the  fading  leaf,  exhibit  peculiarities  found  I  believe 
no  where  else  :  and  if  I  mistake  not,  we  may  learn  from 
these  peculiarities  some  moral  lessons,  not  taught  by  the 
mere  fact  that  in  autumn  vegetation  decays  and  passes  in- 
to its  wintry  grave. 

With  us,  then,  the  fading  leaf  is  not  a  mere  example  of 
decay,  producing  sadness,  if  not  melancholy,  in  other 
lands.  When  autumn  approaches,  some  slight  frosts 
chill  the  vegetable  fluids  and  weaken  the  power  of  their 
delicate  organs  to  produce  the  various  proximate  princi- 
ples in  proper  proportions.  In  other  words,  a  diseased 
action  supervenes  in  the  vessels,  and  the  result  is,  an  ex- 
cess of  acid  or  alkali.  These  substances,  it  is  well  known, 
produce  most  striking  effects  upon  vegetable  colors ; 
changing  sometimes  those  that  are  dull  into  a  brilliancy 
often  gaudy,  and  sometimes  oppressive.  Ere  long  the  ef- 
fects of  these  chemical  changes  become  manifest  upon  the 
foliage  of  our  forests,  as  the  autumn  advances  ;  and  then 
follow  weeks,  in  which  the  eye  is  met  by  prospects  the 
most  brilliant  and  imposing  that  can  be  conceived  of. 


92  AUTUMNAL    SCENERY. 

whose  description  the  inhabitants  of  other  lands  regard  as 
caricature.  The  richest  and  most  diverse  hues  that  na- 
ture can  produce  by  the  separation  and  blending  of  all  the 
prismatic  colors,  meet  us  in  every  grove,  and  hill  side, 
and  mountain.  Red  of  every  shade,  from  crimson  to 
cherry, — yellow,  from  bright  sulphur  to  orange, — brown, 
from  clove  brown  to  liver  brown, — and  green,  from  grass 
green  to  oil  green,  stand  forth  in  distinct  spots,  yet  all 
mingled  in  fantastic  proportions,  and  clothing  the  land- 
scape with  an  almost  dazzling  brilliancy ;  especially  when 
lighted  up  by  the  mellow  rays  of  an  October  sun.  Said 
once  a  distinguished  foreigner  from  continental  Europe, 
"when  shown  a  sketch  of  our  autumnal  scenery,  before  he 
had  seen  it  in  nature,  "  this  is  caricature  ;"  but  when  he 
had  witnessed  it,  "  the  drawing,"  said  he,  "  does  not  come 
up  to  nature."  "  What  a  strange  country  must  America 
be,"  said  once  the  simple  minded  Nestorians  of  Persia, 
when  looking  at  the  same  drawing,  "  what  a  strange' coun- 
try must  America  be,  where  the  people  live  in  wooden 
houses,  and  the  trees  are  painted." 

What  now  are  the  peculiar  moral  lessons  which  we 
may  learn  from  these  splendid  exhibitions  of  autumnal 
metamorphoses  in  the  forests  of  our  country  ?  The  text 
does  not-  indeed  teach  them  directly  :  Yet  since  the  phe- 
nomena of  the  fading  leaf  vary  so  much  in  different  lands, 
we  may  regard  this  passage  as  indirectly  teaching  us 
whatever  lessons  natural  religion  may  derive  from  these 
peculiarities. 


MELANCHOLY   FEELINGS.  93 

/  say  then,  in  the  first  place ',  that  our  autumnal  scenery 
testifies  to  the  benevolence  of  God. 

The  laws  of  vegetable  nature  might  have  been  so  con- 
stituted, that  at  the  close  of  the  summer  months,  a  sudden 
change  might  have  come  over  the  foliage,  and  from  a 
pleasant  green,  it  might,  by  a  single  step,  have  reverted 
to  a  shriveled,  blackened  and  unsightly  mass  ;  as  if  scath- 
ed by  fire.  That  would,  indeed,  have  given  us  a  striking 
emblem  of  the  suddenness  of  death,  as  it  sometimes  falls 
upon  the  unsuspecting  :  but  it  would  have  produced  only 
melancholy  emotions,  as  we  looked  out  upon  the  seared 
landscape.  And,  indeed,  such  seems  to  be  the  most 
striking  impression  produced  by  the  autumnal  scenery  of 
other  lands.  And  hence  the  poet  of  the  seasons,  in  de- 
scribing that  part  of  the  year,  says, 

"  He  comes !  lie  comes  !  in  every  breeze,  the  Power 

Of  Philosophic  Melancholy  comes  ! 

His  near  approach  the  sudden  starting  tear, 

The  glowing  cheek,  the  mild  dejected  air, 

The  softened  feature,  and  the  beating  heart 

Pierced  deep  with  many  a  virtuous  pang,  declare." 

But  though,  when  we  contemplate  the  fading  leaf  of 
our  climate,  as  an  emblem  of  decay,  some  degree  of  sad- 
ness cannot  but  be  excited,  yet  other  and  more  cheerful 
emotions  are  also  awakened,  which  soften  the  melancholy 

9 


94  DIVINE 

into  a  pleasing  experience,  as  one  of  our  own  poets  has 
sung : 

"  What  is  there  saddening  in  the  Autumn  leaves  ? 
Have  they  that  "  green  and  yejlow  Melancholy" 
That  the  sweet  poet  spake  of?    Had  he  seen 
Our  variegated  woods,  when  first  the  frost 
Turns  into  beauty  all  October's  charms  ; 
When  the  dread  fever  quits  us, — when  the  storms 
Of  the  wild  Equinox,  with  all  its  wet, 
Have  left  the  land  as  the  first  deluge  left  it, 
With  a  bright  bow  of  many  colors  hung 
Upon  the  forest  tops, — he  had  not  sigh'd." 

No :  lie  would  have  sung  of  the  Divine  Benevolence, 
that  has  thus  spread  rich  beauty  over  the  face  of  unwel- 
come decay,  and  made  nature's  party-colored  winding 
sheet  so  attractive,  that  we  smile  with  her  as  she  puts  it 
on.  It  is  a  beautiful  example  of  that  Infinite  Benevo- 
lence, which,  though  it  could  not  but  make  nature  every- 
where remind  us  that  we  live  in  a  fallen  world,  has  yet 
so  mingled  mercy  in  the  cup,  that  we  drink  it  almost  with- 
out pain,  and  are  softened  by  the  kindness  that  yearns 
over  us  in  our  misery,  and  throws  many  a  bow  of  prom- 
ise over  the  dark  clouds  that  spread  over  the  heavens. 
This  mingling  of  goodness  and  severity,  shows  us  the 
exuberance  of  the  benevolence,  which  seems  loth  to  in- 
flict merited  punishment,  and  thus  inspires  us  with  the 


BENEVOLENCE.  95 

hope  that  we  may  be  delivered  from  the  ruins  of  the 
apostacy,  and  again  enjoy  the  unclouded  favor  of  God. 
It  was  not  necessary  that  incipient  decay  should  be  made 
even  attractive,  in  order  to  accomplish  all  that  justice  de- 
manded. But  God  delights  to  influence  men  by  the  pow- 
er of  goodness.  In  the  great  plans  which  he  has  devised 
for  the  rescue  of  our  race  from  the  consequences  of  the 
fall,  He  has  lavished  the  riches  of  that  goodness  :  and  it  is 
pleasant  to  see  the  same  kindness  manifested  in  all  the 
arrangements  and  operations  of  nature. 

In  the  second  place,  our  autumnal  scenery  affords  a 
striking  analogy  to  the  changes  through  which  man  passes 
from  time  into  eternity. 

The  difference  is,  indeed,  great,  between  the  rich  green- 
ness and  waving  foliage  of  August  with  the  rustling  and 
sighing  zephyr,  and  the  barren  trees  of  November,  with 
the  northern  blasts  whistling  through  the  branches ;  and 
greater  still  the  difference,  when  the  last  vestige  of  life 
seems  to  have  departed,  and  the  vegetable  world  is  wrap- 
ped in  its  winding  sheet  of  ice  and  snow.  But  has  life 
really  all  gone  ?  No :  it  has  only  withdrawn  to  the 
citadel,  and  there  concentrated  its  powers  to  resist  the  as- 
4  saults  of  frost,  and  prepare  for  new  developments ,  when 
the  sun  shall  return  from  southern  skies,  and  a  more  ge- 
nial temperature  shall  revisit  these  northern  climes.  It 
is  only  a  change  of  state,  and  not  the  extinction  of  life. 
The  trees  have  merely  put  off  their  summer  robes,  be* 


96  MAN    DIES 

cause  inappropriate  for  the  sterner  climate  of  winter.  Life 
does,  indeed,  seem  to  have  departed.  But  we  know  that 
its  germ  is  yet  unextinct ;  and  that  there  shall  come, — 
and  that  ere  long, — a  resurrection  day.  The  icy  grasp 
of  winter  shall  be  relaxed  ;  and  then  shall  the  mysteri- 
ous principle  of  life  again  develope  its  marvelous  pow- 
ers, in  weaving  a  new  and  lovelier  robe  to  grace  the  fair 
form  of  spring. 

See  now  in  these  changes  a  striking  analogy  to  those 
through  which  man  passes  on  his  way  to  immortality. 
As  disease  fastens  upon  him,  or  old  age  creeps  on,  his 
beauty  and  glory  are,  indeed,  made  to  consume  away 
like  the  moth.  The  rose  flies  from  his  cheek, — his  senses 
become  dull, — his  brain  torpid, — and  all  the  wheels  of 
life  move  slow,  because  the  vital  energies  are  failing. 
And  even  the  mind  seems  to  partake  of  the  general  de- 
cay. However  tenacious  of  their  hold,  the  powers  of  life 
may  be,  we  know  that  ere  long  they  must  yield,  and 
man's  glorious  beauty  become  as  a  jflower.  The  work 
goes  on,  till  vitality  resigns  its  charge  of  the  human 
frame  so  curiously  and  wonderfully  made,  and  it  quickly 
becomes  the  prey  of  disorganizing  agencies,  reverting  to 
its  original  elements  ;  which,  scattered  by  the  winds  and 
dissolved  by  the  waters,  enter  into  new  combinations,  and 
assume  new  forms  of  loveliness  and  life.  In  short,  the 
triumph  of  death  seems  to  be  complete.  The  man  has 


BUT    STILL    LIVES.  97 

disappeared,  and  survivors  feel  and  weep  as  though  he 
had  disappeared  forever. 

But  after  all,  how  deceptive  are  these  appearances, 
and  how  contrary  to  the  reality.  We  know,  because  both 
reason  and  scripture  teach  us,  that  he  whom  death  has 
thus  stricken  down,  has  not  become  extinct.  A  germ,  a 
precious,  priceless  germ, — the  man  himself,  indeed, — 
still  survives.  There  is  a  deathless  principle  within, 
which  smiles  over  the  wreck  of  the  body.  Whether  it 
has  gone  forth  a  disembodied,  immaterial  principle  ;  or 
whether  it  be  still  attached  to  some  attenuated,  undecay- 
ing,  material  tenement,  we  know  not :  But  it  exists : 
nay,  having  broken  loose  from  its  prison-house  of  flesh 
and  sense,  it  has  risen  to  a  higher  existence,  and  enter- 
ed upon  a  brighter  sphere  of  action.  The  body,  indeed, 
like  the  barren  tree,  must  for  a  while  lie  dormant  in  the 
grave.  ,But  that  too  shall  at  length  emerge  in  renovated 
glory. 

"  See  truth  love  and  mercy  in  triumph  descending, 
And  nature  all  glowing  in  Eden's  first  bloom, ; 
On  the  cold  cheek  of  death  smiles  and  roses  are  blending 
And  beautv  immortal  awakes  fron}  the  tomb," 

In  the  third  place,  owr  autumnal  scenery  forcibly  repre- 
sents to  us,  emblematically,  what  ought  to  be  the  effect  of  ad- 
versity upon  us  in  the  development  of  our  piety. 

9* 


98  ADVERSITY 

It  may  have  seemed  inappropriate  to  my  hearers,  that 
I  introduced  in  a  sabbath  day  discourse,  a  scientific  theo- 
ry to  explain  the  manner  in  which  the  hues  of  autumn 
are  produced  in  our  forests.  But  my  object  will  now  be 
apparent.  For  if  that  theory  be  admitted,  it  illustrates 
the  effect  which  adversity  should  have  upon  us.  "We 
might  expect,  that  when  the  plant  is  first  smitten  by  frost, 
its  functions  would  at  once  cease,  its  foliage  droop,  and 
wither,  and  fall,  and  decomposition  ensue.  But  though 
the  action  of  the  delicate  machinery  is  so  disturbed  that 
it  cannot  any  more  elaborate  perfect  vegetation,  still  the 
organs  do  what  they  can,  and  though  they  fail  to  preserve 
and  continue  the  healthy  greenness  of  summer,  they  de- 
velope  hues  still  more  brilliant,  and  make  creation  smile, 
though  about  to  descend  into  her  wintry  grave.  They 
clothe  her  with  an  appropriate  dress  for  her  coming  trans- 
mutation, and  lead  observers  to  admire  the  wonderful 
chemistry  within,  that  can  thus  make  decay  seem  lovely 
and  attractive. 

In  like  manner,  do  the  frosts  of  adversity  operate  upon 
the  true  hearted  Christian.  In  other  words,  they  devel- 
ope  virtues  in  his  character  which  would  otherwise  have 
never  appeared.  Where  a  true  stamina  of  piety  is  not 
found,  the  man  often  sinks  at  once  when  smitten :  his 
hopes  die,  and  his  affections  are  dried  up :  and  he  becomes 
the  prey  of  despondency,  if  not  of  despair,  the  wreck  of 
what  he  once  was, — a  withered  monument  of  a  broken 


DEVELOPES   VIRTUES.  99 

heart  He  resembles  the  tree  blasted  by  the  lightning, 
or  scathed  by  fire.  But  he  who  views  his  chastisements 
as  the  necessary  inflictions  of  his  heavenly  Father,  and 
intended  for  his  best  good,  desires  and  aims  that  they 
shall  produce  their  appropriate  effects.  And  they  do  de- 
velope  in  brighter  colors,  like  the  foliage  of  autumn,  his 
Christian  virtues, — his  sweet  submission, — his  deep  hu- 
mility,— his  expanding  charity, — his  long  forbearance,— 
his  humble  gratitude, — his  unaffected  kindness, — in  short, 
his  ardent  love  to  God  and  man.  Instead  of  being  crush- 
ed by  the  load  of  sorrow,  or  frozen  into  a  petrifaction,  he 
bears  up  nobly  under  the  load,  and  shoots  forth  many  a 
new  trait  of  character,  that  blossoms  in  beauty,  and  bears 
fruit  in  abundance.  His  virtues  never  would  have  shone 
so  brightly,  had  not  adversity  touched  his  heart  with  her 
icy  hand.  Those  virtues  do,  indeed,  make  us  feel  that 
the  man  is  ripening  too  fast  for  heaven  to  continue  long 
below ;  just  as  the  variegated  splendors  of  an  autumnal 
forest,  tell  us  of  approaching  winter.  But  it  is  not  the 
less  interesting,  because  the  Christian  exhibits  more  and 
more  of  the  spirit  of  heaven.  He  may  die  unto  the  world 
but  he  will  live  unto  God.  And  this  accords  with  an  in- 
spired exhortation :  reckon  ye  yourselves  to  be  dead,  in- 
deed, unto  sin,  but  alive  unto  God,  through  Jesus  Christ 
our  Lord. 

Finally,  our  autumnal  scenery  is  a  significant  emblem 


100  HOW   THE    CHRISTIAN 

of  the  manner  in  which  the  Christian  should  go  down  to 
the  grave- 

The  gay  splendor  of  our  forests,  as  autumn  comes  on, 
may  seem  to  some  inappropriate,  when  we  consider  that 
it  is  the  precursor  of  decay  and  death.  But  when  we  re- 
member that  the  plant  still  lives,  and  after  a  season  of  in- 
action will  awake  to  new  and  more  vigorous  life,  and 
that  the  apparent  decay  is  only  laying  aside  a  summer 
robe,  because  unfit  for  winter,  is  it  not  appropriate  that  na- 
ture should  hang  out  signals  of  joy,  rather  than  of  sorrow  ? 
Why  should  she  not  descend  exultingly,  and  in  her  rich- 
est dress,  into  the  grave,  in  hope  of  so  early  and  so  glori- 
ous a  resurrection  ? 

And  what  is  the  condition  of  the  Christian,  as  he  per- 
ceives himself  approaching  the  tomb  ?  Long  since  has 
he  fled  from  the  curse  of  a  broken  law,  to  Him  who  bore 
it  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree.  And  ever  since  that  well 
remembered  time,  when  the  hope  of  sin  forgiven  and 
heaven  secured,  filled  his  soul  with  joy  unspeakable  and 
full  of  glory,  has  he  felt  that  he  was  not  his  own,  and  that 
this  world  was  not  his  home  :  that  his  best  friends  were 
on  the  other  side  of  the  dark  valley  ;  and  there  his  Sa- 
vior had  prepared  a  mansion  for  him.  Thither  has 
strong  affection  drawn  his  soul,  and  often,  when  opening 
the  eye  and  the  ear  of  faith,  he  has  contemplated  his  ever- 
lasting rest,  has  he  felt  a  desire  to  depart  and  be  with 
Christ.  And  especially  when  sin  within  and  without  has  j 


SHOULD    DIE.  101 

harrassed  and  overcome  him,  has  he  sighed  for  the  per- 
fect holiness  of  heaven.  And  now  the  progress  of  years, 
or  the  pains  of  disease,  admonish  him  that  the  time  of  his 
release  is  approaching.  Shall  he  then  put  on  the  weeds 
of  mourning,  and  shrink  back  distressed,  and  cling  to  this 
world  with  a  stronger  grasp,  although  he  has  only  to 
look  up  to  see  the  arms  of  his  blessed  Savior  opened,  and 
departed  Christian  friends  beckoning  him  to  join  them 
in  their  happy  home  on  high  ?  What  though  he  feels  the 
earthly  house  of  his  tabernacle  crumbling  down :  he  has 
a  house  not  made  with  hands, — a  building  of  God,  eter- 
nal in  the  heavens.  What  though  he  mubt  bid  adieu  to 
beloved  friends  below  ?  He  goes  to  join  those  no  less  be- 
loved on  high  ;  and  those  now  left  behind  will  follow  him 
soon.  Does  he  tremble  in  dread  of  the  parting  struggle  ? 
But  how  short,  if  endured !  and  how  often  found  to  be  a 
mere  figment  of  imagination  : 

"  What  though  the  sickle  sometimes  keen, 
Just  scars  us  as  we  reap  the  golden  grain  ? 
More  than  thy  balm,  0  Gi lead,  heals  the  wound. 

What  occasion,  then,  has  the  real  Christian  to  welcome 
the  harbinger  of  his  translation  from  earth  to  heaven  ? 
Let  surviving  friends, — as  well  they  may, — mourn  over 
his  departure,  and  clothe  themselves  with  the  insignia  of 
sorrow.  But  let  his  soul  be  clothed  with  the  bright  gar- 


102  DEATH 

merits  of  peace,  and  joy,  and  praise,  as  he  comes  nearer 
and  nearer  the  hour  of  release.  Thus  will  he  imitate  na- 
ture in  her  autumnal  scenes.  Thus  will  he  do  honor  to 
the  religion  he  professes ;  to  the  faith  by  which  his  soul  is 
anchored  to  the  eternal  throne  ;  to  the  Savior,  by  whom 
he  has  been  rescued  from  sin  and  destruction  ;  and  to  the 
God  whose  Infinite  grace  has  transformed  him  from  a 
slave  of  sin  and  an  heir  of  perdition,  into  a  freeman  of 
the  Lord,  and  a  king  and  a  priest  unto  God. 

But  in  order  that  we  may  be  able  thus  to  look  on  decay 
and  death  as  welcome  messengers,  and  not  as  hated  and  ter- 
rific enemies,  we  must  lead  a  life  of  humble  and  devoted 
piety.  God  must  be  glorified  in  our  lives,  or  we  cannot 
glorify  Him  when  sinking  into  the  grave.  Daily  must 
we  come  so  near  to  eternity  in  our  meditations,  that  its 
scenes  are  familiar,  and  we  seem  to  be  gazing  upon  ' 
them  almost  without  an  intervening  veil.  Daily,  too, 
must  we  imbibe  more  and  more  of  the  spirit  of  heaven, 
and  feel  more  and  more  how  empty  and  vain  this  world  is. 
In  short,  we  must  learn  to  pant  after  God  and  heaven  as 
the  hart  panteth  after  the  water  brooks,  and  feel  our  souls 
drawn  upwards  with  overwhelming  power,  before  we  can 
exult  as  our  material  framework  is  falling  into  dust,  and 
look  upon  our  winding  sheet  as  our  coronation  robe, 
and  upon  the  King  of  Terrors  as  the  Prince  of  Peace. 

And  shall  such  a  Christian  be  overwhelmed  with  fear 
and  sorrow,  and  put  on  the  badges  of  mourning,  when  he 


WELCOMED.  103 

feels  within  him  the  premonitions  of  such  a  glorious  trans- 
formation ?  Rather  let  him  who  indulges  no  such  hopes, 
put  on  sackcloth  and  ashes,  and  take  as  a  fit  emblem  of 
his  condition,  the  forest  scathed  and  blackened  by  fire, 
and  sit  down  in  inconsolable  sorrow,  and  begin  the  weep- 
ing and  wailing  of  the  lost,  before  he  is  forced  into  the  pit. 
But  should  the  Christian  go  down  to  the  grave  in  sadness, 
when  that  is  the  end  of  his  sorrow  ?  Shall  he  who  has 
been  sweating  and  suffering  with  slaves,  and  as  a  slave, 
under  the  world,  that  most  ferocious  of  all  taskmasters, 
shall  he  be  disconsolate,  because  the  Deliverer  approaches, 
to  knock  off  his  fetters,  and  to  make  him  a  freeman  for- 
ever ?  Shall  he  who  has  been  struggling  for  years,  as  on 
a  wide  battle  field,  with  principalities  and  powers,  with 
the  rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this  world ,  and  with  spiritual 
wickedness  in  high  places,  and  has  often  fainted  in  the  con- 
test, shall  he  not  rejoice  when  he  hears  the  shout  of  vic- 
tory, and  is  summoned  to  receive  the  conqueror's  crown, 
in  the  presence  of  the  universe,  and  from  the  hands  of 
the  Captain  of  his  salvation  ?  Shall  he  not  say  with 
Paul,  I  am  now  ready  to  he  offered,  and  the  time  of  my 
departure  is  at  hand.  I  have  fought  a  good  fight,  I  have 
finished  my  course:  I  have  kept  the  faith.  Hencefotth 
there  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown  of  righteousness  which  the 
Lord,  the  righteous  Judge,  shall  give  me  at  that  day. 
Shall  he  who  has  long  been  buffeting  the  winds  and  the 
waves,  and  almost  sinking,  feel  no  joy  when  he  approach- 


104  GOING   HOME. 

es  the  peaceful  haven,  and  the  life  boat  is  sent  out  to  re- 
ceive him  ?     Shall  he  who  has  long   dwelt  on  the  out- 
skirts of  creation,  in  a  land  of  clouds  and  fogs,  be  sad  be- 
cause the  invitation  has  come  to  go  to  the  cloudless  cen- 
ter of  the  universe,  where  truth  is  written  in  sun  beams 
over  his  head,  and  its  transparent  fountain  gushes  up  be- 
neath his  feet  ?    Does  he  sigh  and   weep,  who  has  long 
been  an  exile  and  a  prisoner  in  a  distant  and  inhospita- 
ble land,  when    the  vessel  is  spreading  her   canvass  to 
cany   him   back  to   his  father's  house,  and  to  the   em- 
brace  of  beloved   friends  ?     Yet  how  truly  is  the  devo- 
ted Christian  an  exile  in  this  world :  how  uncongenial  a 
place  for  his  new  born  soul :  and  what  mighty  attractions 
draw  him  towards  his  eternal  home !     Is  a  robe  of  sad- 
ness appropriate  for  him  who  is  invited  to  become  a  cit- 
izen of  the  New  Jerusalem,  and  there  to  be   anointed  a 
king  and  a  priest  unto  God,  and  to  live  in  his  smiles  ? 
Oh  no!  such  were  not  the  feelings  of  the  hundred  and 
forty  and  four  thousand,  who  have  been  called  to  go  up 
to  Mount  Zion.     As  a  great  cloud  of  witnesses  they  come 
around  us  to  day,  and  point  back  to  the  time,  when  with 
joyful  step,  they  went  down  to  the  brink  of  Jordan,  and 
saw  the  waters  divide  for  their  passage.     Soon  as  the 
summons  came,  they  threw  aside  the  badges  of  sorrow  and 
mourning,  and  put  on  the  garments  of   salvation.     As 
they  drew  nearer  and    nearer  the  heavenly  world,  its 
spirit  and  its  joy  were  breathed  more  and  more  into  their 


TO    HEAVEN.  105 

souls,  and  its  radiant  glory  beamed  from  their  faces. 
And  as  they  went  forward  the  dark  valley  was  all  filled 
with  light,  and  they  knew  not  where  earth  ended,  or 
where  heaven  begun ;  for  their  hearts  were  full  of  hea- 
ven. Like  them  may  we  all  live.  Like  them  may  we 
die,  and  with  them  be  joined  in  glory  everlasting ! 


10 


THE    CORONATION    OF    WINTER. 


THE    CORONATION    OF    WINTER. 


HE    CASTETH   FORTH   HIS    ICE    LIKE   MORSELS. — Psalm  147  :  17. 

THE  eminent  saints  of  ancient  times  were  watchful  ob- 
servers of  the  objects  and  operations  of  nature.  In  every 
event  they  saw  the  agency  of  God ;  and  therefore  they 
took  delight  in  its  examination.  For  they  could  not  but 
receive  pleasure  from  witnessing  the  manifestations  of 
His  wisdom  and  beneficence,  whom  they  adored  and 
loved.  They  had  not  learnt,  as  we  have  in  modern 
times,  to  interpose  unbending  laws  between  the  Creator 
and  his  works,  and  then,  by  giving  inherent  power 
to  these  laws,  virtually  to  remove  God  away  from  his 
creation,  into  an  etherial  extramundane  sphere  of  re- 
pose and  happiness.  I  do  not  say  that  this  is  the  univer- 
sal feeling  at  the  present  day.  But  it  prevails  extensive- 
ly in  the  church,  and  still  more  in  the  world.  The  ablest 
philosophers  of  modern  times  do,  indeed,  maintain,  that  a 
natural  law  is  nothing  more  than  the  uniform  mode  in 

10* 


110  GOD  EXCLUDED. 

which  God  acts  ;  and  that  after  all,  it  is  not  the  efficiency 
of  the  law,  but  God's  own  energy,  that  keeps  all  nature 
in  motion  :  that  he  operates  immediately  and  directly,  not 
remotely  and  indirectly,  in  bringing  about  every  event : 
and  that  every  natural  change  is  as  really  the  work  of 
God,  as  if  the  eye  of  sense  could  see  his  hand  turning 
round  the  wheels  of  nature.  But  although  the  ablest 
philosophy  of  modern  times  has  reached  this  conclusion, 
the  great  mass  of  the  community,  and  even  of  Christians, 
are  still  groping  in  the  darkness  of  that  mechanical  sys- 
tem, which  ascribes  the  operations  of  the  natural  world  . 
to  nature's  laws,  instead  of  nature's  God.  By  a  sort  of 
figure,  indeed,  it  is  proper,  as  the  advocates  of  this  sys- 
tem  maintain,  to  speak  of  God  as  the  Author  of  natural 
events,  because  he  originally  ordained  the  laws  of  nature. 
But  they  have  no  idea  that  He  exerts  any  direct  and  im- 
mediate agency  in  bringing  them  about ;  and  therefore, 
when  they  look  upon  these  events,  they  feel  no  impres- 
sion of  the  presence  and  active  agency  of  Jehovah. 

But  how  different,  as  already  remarked,  were  the  feel- 
ings of  ancient  saints.  The  psalmist  could  not  look  up 
to  heaven  without  exclaiming,  The  heavens  declare  the  glo- 
ry of  God,  and  the  firmament  shoiveth  his  handy-work. 
Day  unto  day  uttereth  speech,  and  night  unto  night  shoiv- 
eth  knowledge.  There  is  no  speech  nor  language  where 
their  voice  is  not  heard.  When  he  cast  his  eyes  abroad 
upon  the  earth,  his  full  heart  cried  out,  0  Lord,  how 


THE    BIBLE    VIEW.  Ill 

manifold  are  thy  ivorks :  in  wisdom  hast  thou  made  them 
all:  the  earth  is  full  of  thy  riches.  In  his  eye,  every 
thing  was  full  of  God.  It  was  God  who  sent  springs  in- 
to  the  valleys,  ivhich  run  among  the  hills.  When  the  thun- 
der storm  passed  before  him,  it  was  God's  voice  in  the  hea- 
vens, and  his  lightnings  that  lighted  the  ivorld.  When  he 
heard  the  bellowings  and  saw  the  smoke  of  the  volcano, 
it  was  God  who  looketli  on  the  earth  and  it  tremoleth :  he 
toucheth  the  hills  and  they  smoke. 

In  like  manner  did  Job  refer  all  natural  operations  to 
the  immediate  agency  of  God,  and  bid  us  draw  from 
them  lessons  of  wisdom.  Ask  now  the  leasts,  says  he,  and 
they  shall  teach  thee,  and  the  fowls  of  the  air,  and  they 
shall  tell  thee  :  Or  speak  to  the  earth  and  it  shall  teach 
thee  ;  and  the  fishes  of  the  sea  shall  declare  it  unto  thee. 
Who  knoweth  not,  in  all  these,  that  the  hand  of  the  Lord 
hath  wrought  this  ? 

The  writers  of  the  New  Testament  we  find  to  be  pene- 
trated with  the  same  sentiments.  Especially  do  we  see 
a  desire  to  learn  a  religious  lesson  from  every  event, 
manifested  in  the  history  of  Jesus  Christ.  In  giving  in- 
struction to  his  disciples,  he  seized  for  illustration  upon 
almost  every  occurrence  in  the  natural,  political,  and  so- 
cial world  around  him.  When  for  instance  he  would 
teach  his  followers  to  rely  on  God's  Providence,  and  not 
be  unreasonably  anxious  for  temporal  good,  he  appealed 
to  the  animal  and  vegetable  world  :  Consider  the  ravens: 


112  CHRIST'S  METHOD. 

for  they  neither  sow  nor  reap :  which  have  neither  store 
house  nor  barn :  and  Godfeedeth  them.  How  much  more 
are  ye  better  than  the  fowls. —  Consider  the  lilies,  how  they 
grow  ;  they  toil  not,  they  spin  not :  and  yet  I  say  unto  you 
that  Solomon  in  all  his  glory  was  not  arrayed  like  one  of 
these. — If  then  God  so  clothe  the  grass,  which  is  to-day  in 
the  Jield  and  to-morrow  is  cast  into  the  oven,  how  much 
more  will  he  clothe  you,  0  ye  of  little  faith  ?  So  at  the 
well  of  Jacob  in  Samaria,  how  beautifully  did  he  dis- 
course to  the  woman  of  the  living  water,  which  he  was 
able  to  give. — In  short,  as  the  Savior  met  the  sower  go- 
ing forth  to  sow ;  or  saw  the  corn  growing  up,  or  the 
trees  putting  on  their  foliage  and  flowers ;  as  he  saw  the 
vineyards  dressed,  the  grass  waving  in  the  fields,  the 
birds  flying  through  the  air,  the  chickens  gathering  under 
the  wing  of  their  mother,  the  burrows  of  the  foxes,  the 
plowmen  holding  the  plow,  the  architect  building  houses, 
the  soldier  going  to  war,  or  a  band  of  thieves  breaking 
into  the  house  ; — all  these  events,  and  many  others,  were 
seized  upon  by  him  to  illustrate  great  moral  and  religious 
truths. 

Now  with  such  illustrious  examples,  is  it  not  the  part 
of  wisdom  to  attempt  to  seize  upon  passing  events  in  na- 
ture as  well  as  in  society,  and  make  them  subservient  to 
moral  instruction  ?  I  know,  indeed,  that  in  an  age,  too 
artificial  already,  and  becoming  daily  more  so,  this  is  not 
fashionable ;  unless  some  event  occurs  in  nature  as  strik- 


THE  GLACIAL  PHENOMENON.          113 

ing  as  a  miracle.  From  time  to  time,  however,  nature 
puts  on  some  new  aspect,  so  striking  and  peculiar,  as  to 
elicit  some  regard  from  the  most  inatentive  observer. 
And  for  the  last  ten  days,  we  have  been  living  in  the 
midst  of  one  of  these  peculiar  manifestations,  which  must 
have  interested  every  one,  and  may  afford  some  valuable 
religious  hints.  God  has  cast  fourth  his  ice  like  morsels  ; 
and  those  morsels  have  clothed  nature  with  a  richer  and 
more  attractive  robe,  than  we  can  hope  to  witness  more 
than  once  in  a  life  of  three  score  years  and  ten.  It  should 
not  pass  without  some  notice. 

Allow  me,  then,  in  the  first  place,  to  give  a  brief  des- 
cription of  this  phenonenon,  as  it  met  my  own  eye  ;  for 
from  what  I  can  learn,  I  should  not  think  it  strange,  if  some 
of  the  most  brilliant  features  of  this  exhibition  were 
scarcely  seen,  even  by  some  who  lived  in  the  midst  of  it. 

On  Wednesday,  the  17th  of  January,  a  moderate  and 
very  cold  snow  storm  closed  a  little  before  mid-day,  leav- 
ing the  surface  of  the  earth  and  of  vegetables  at  so  low  a 
temperature,  as  to  absorb  heat  rapidly  from  objects  placed 
upon  them.  But  during  the  following  night,  the  themom- 
eter  rose  nearly  to  the  freezing  point,  and  a  moderate 
rain  commenced,  which  continued  about  two  days,  almost 
without  interruption.  It  was  accompanied  with  but  little 
wind,  and  the  rain  drops,  most  of  the  time,  were  almost  as 
fine  as  mist ;  so  that  the  whole  amount  of  rain  scarcely 
exceeded  an  inch  and  a  quarter  in  depth.  The  thermome- 


114  THE   SEA    OF    GLASS. 

ter  did  not  rise  during  the  storm  quite  to  the  freezing 
point ;  and  towards  the  close,  it  sunk  several  degrees  be- 
low it.  The  result  was,  that  all  the  rain  froze  to  the  sur- 
face on  which  it  fell,  and  formed  a  coat  of  pure  transpa- 
rent ice,  over  the  snow,  and  all  other  objects  exposed  to 
it,  from  a  quarter  of  an  inch  to  more  than  an  inch  in  thick- 
ness. On  the  snow  this  crust  was  strong  enough  to  sus- 
tain a  man ;  and  almost  as  smooth  as  the  frozen  surface 
of  a  lake  or  pond  ; — looking  as  if  the  billows  of  the  ocean 
had  been  suddenly  congealed  before  they  could  subside 
entirely. 

Still  more  striking,  however,  was  the  effect  upon  the 
vegetable  world,  now  stripped  of  its  foliage.  The  leaf- 
less branches  and  twigs  of  every  tree,  of  every  shrub, 
and  even  of  every  spire  of  grass,  or  other  annual  plant, 
that  rose  above  the  surface  of  the  snow,  were  encased  in 
this  thick  and  beautiful  hyaline  coat,  as  transparent  as 
the  purest  water.  Along  these  branches,  in  many  instan- 
ces, the  ice  swelled  into  tubercular  masses,  and  almost 
uniformly  terminated  in  a  knob ;  so  as  to  resemble 
strings  of  gigantic  glass  beads.  Now  just  imagine  the  ef- 
fect, as  the  sun  from  time  to  time  on  Saturday,  broke 
through  the  clouds  upon  these  countless  natural  gems, 
prepared  to  refract  and  reflect  his  light  with  more  than 
his  original  brightness.  I  thought  I  had  before  seen 
splendid  exhibitions  of  this  sort,  in  the  glittering  dew 
drops  of  summer  and  the  frost  work  of  winter.  But  the 


THE  DIAMOND  PENDANTS.  115 

present  scene  surpassed  all  my  former  experience  incom- 
parably ;  and  even  the  figments  of  my  imagination.  If 
the  twigs  of  every  tree  and  shrub  and  spire  had  been  lit- 
erally covered  with  diamonds  of  the  purest  water  and 
largest  known  size,  say  an  inch  in  diameter,  they  would 
not,  I  am  sure,  have  poured  upon  the  eye  in  the  sun 
light  a  more  dazzling  splendor.  But  it  may  give  those 
not  familiar  with  the  diamond,  a  better  idea  of  the  scene, 
to  compare  the  icy  pendants  with  those  of  cut  glass, 
which  are  sometimes  hung  in  great  profusion  around  large 
chandeliers,  in  many  of  our  churches  and  public  halls.  It 
is  no  exaggeration  to  say,  that  each  tree,  nay,  each  shrub, 
of  moderate  size,  exhibited  as  numerous  crystalline  drops, 
and  as  brilliant  an  aspect,  as  I  have  ever  seen  around  the 
largest  chandelier.  Think,  then,  how  much  superior 
must  have  been  the  aspect  of  a  large  tree,  with  a  grace- 
ful shape  and  wide  spreading  branches.  Nay,  think  of  a 
whole  forest  with  the  rays  of  the  sun  darting  through,  and 
lighting  up  ten  thousand  radiant  points  of  a  diamond  hue 
and  intense  brilliancy.  These  could  be  seen  as  many  as 
forty  or  fifty  rods,  and  beyond  that  distance,  the  forests, 
as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  had  the  aspect  and  the  rich- 
ness of  embossed  silver. 

When  1  perceived  what  a  splendid  robe  nature  had  put 
on,  I  went  forth  to  pay  my  homage  in  her  magnificent 
temple.  As  I  wandered  over  "  the  sea  of  glass,"  through 
fields,  and  forests,  over  hill  and  dale,  new  forms  of  beauty 


116  THE   INTEREST    INCREASES. 

met  me  at  every  step.  Amazement  was  soon  succeeded 
by  admiration,  and  admiration  gave  place  to  intense  de- 
light ;  nor  could  I  help  repeating  over  the  poet's  enthu- 
siastic eulogy : 

"  Oh  Nature !  how  in  every  charm  supreme. 
Whose  votaries  feast  on  raptures  ever  new. 
Oh  for  the  voice  and  fire  of  seraphim, 
To  sing  thy  glories  with  devotion  due." 

I  could  not  believe,  that  any  more  splendid  develop- 
ments of  this  phenomenon  awaited  me.  But  on  Satur- 
day night  the  thermometer  sunk  to  zero,  and  on  Sunday 
morning  the  sun  arose  in  a  cloudless  sky,  and  the  icy 
shoots  and  pendants,  more  thoroughly  crystalized  by  the 
intense  cold,  formed  ten  thousand  points  of  overwhelming 
brightness  on  every  side.  Nor  were  all  the  sparkling 
brilliants,  as  on  the  day  before,  of  colorless  light.  But 
here  and  there,  I  began  to  notice  the  prismatic  colors ; 
now  exhibiting  a  gem  of  most  splendid  sapphire  blue ; 
next  one  of  amethystine  purple ;  next  one  of  intense  to- 
paz yellow  ;  then  a  sea  green  beryl,  changing  by  a  slight 
change  of  posture,  into  a  rich  emerald  green ;  and  then 
one  of  deep  hyacinth  red.  As  the  sun  approached  the 
meridian,  the  number  and  splendor  of  these  colored  gems 
increased  ;  so  that  on  a  single  tree  hundreds  of  them 
might  be  seen,  and  sometimes  so  large  was  their  size  and 


THE   FAIRY    LAND.  117 

intense  their  color,  that  at  the  distance  of  fifty  rods,  they 
seemed  equal  to  Sirius,  nay,  to  the  morning  star !  and  of 
hues  the  most  delicate  and  rich  that  can  be  conceived  of, 
exactly  imitating,  so  far  as  I  could  judge,  the  natural 
gems  ;  and  not  partaking  at  all  of  those  less  delicate  and 
gaudy  tints,  by  which  a  practiced  eye  can  distinguish  gen* 
uine  from  supposititious  precious  stones.  And  by  mov- 
ing the  eye  a  few  inches,  we  could  see  these  different 
colors  pass  into  one  another,  and  thus  witness  the  rich  in- 
termediate shades.  I  have  seen  many  splendid  groups 
of  precious  stones,  wrought  and  unwrought,  in  the  large 
collections  of  our  land  ;  and  until  I  witnessed  this  scene, 
they  seemed  of  great  beauty.  But  it  is  now  literally  true, 
that  they  appear  to  me  comparatively  dull  and  insignfi- 
cant.  In  short,  it  seemed  as  if  I  was  gazing  upon  a  land- 
scape which  had  before  existed  only  in  a  poet's  imagina- 
tion. It  is  what  he  would  call  a  fairy  land :  but  a  more 
Christian  designation  would  be,  a  celestial  land. 

On  Monday  it  was  cloudy,  and  the  phenomena  present- 
ed no  new  aspect.  On  Tuesday,  there  was  a  storm  of  fine 
rain  and  snow,  and  the  beautiful  transparency  of  the  icy 
coat  was  changed  into  the  aspect  of  ground  glass.  This 
gave  to  the  trees  a  new  and  more  delicate  appearance. 
They  resembled  enchased  work,  formed  of  pure  unbur- 
nished  silver ;  and  had  the  sun  shone  upon  them,  they 
must  have  been  intensely  beautiful.  I  now  supposed 
that  the  most  brilliant  part  of  this  scene, — its  golden  pe- 
riod,— had  passed :  and  that  the  silver  period  of  Tuesday, 

11 


118  THE    SPLENDOR    CONTINUES 

would  soon  be  succeeded  b}  the  usual  iron  reign  of  win- 
ter ;  especially  as  there  fell  several  inches  of  snow,  du- 
ring the  night.  But  the  cold  restored  the  ice  upon  the 
trees  to  more  than  its  original  transparency,  and  the  sun 
rose  on  Wednesday  morning  upon  a  cloudless  sky  ;  and 
a  wind  scattered  the  snow  from  the  branches,  and  all  the 
phenomena  opened  upon  us  with  more  than  their  Sabbath 
day  glories. 

"  'Tis  winter's  jubilee,— this  day 
His  stores  their  countless  treasures  yield. 
See  how  the  diamond  glances  play 
In  ceaseless  blaze  from  tree  and  field. 

A  shower  of  gems  is  strewed  around, 
The  flowers  of  winter,  rich  and  rare  ; 
Rubies  and  sapphires  deck  the  ground, 
The  topaz,  emerald,  all  are  there." 

As  the  sun  approached  the  meridian,  one  had  only  to 
receive  his  rays  at  a  certain  angle,  refracted  through  the 
crystal  covering  of  a  tree,  in  order  to  witness  gems  more 
splendid  than  art  ever  prepared.  Four  fifths  of  them 
were  diamonds  :  but  the  sapphires  were  numerous ;  the 
topaz  and  the  beryl  not  unfrequent ;  and  occasionally  the 
chrysolite  and  the  hyacinth  shone  with  intense  brilliancy. 
There  was  wind  also  on  that  day ;  and  as  the  branches 
waved  to  and  fro,  these  various  gems  appeared  and  van- 
ished and  re-appeared  in  endless  variety ;  chaining  the 
eye  to  the  spot,  until  the  overpowered  optic  nerve  shrunk 
from  its  office.  But  the  rich  vision  did  not  cease  through 


BY   DAY    AND    BY   NIGHT.  119 

all  that  cloudless  day.  Nor  did  it  terminate  when  the 
sun  went  down.  For  then  the  full  orbed  moon  arose,  and 
gave  another  most  bewitching  aspect  to  the  scene.  Du- 
ring the  day  the  light  had  often  been  painfully  intense. 
But  the  softness  of  moonlight  permitted  the  eye  to  gaze 
and  gaze  untired,  and  yet  the  splendor  seemed  hardly 
less  than  during  the  day.  Most  of  the  bright  points  were 
of  a  mild  topaz  yellow,  and  when  seen  against  the  hea- 
vens, they  could  hardly  be  distinguished  from  the  stars  ; 
or  when  seen  in  the  forest,  especially  as  one  passed  rap- 
idly along,  it  seemed  as  if  countless  fire-flies  were  moving 
among  the  branches.  Yet  occasionally  I  saw  other  col- 
ors of  the  spectrum,  especially  the  bluish  green  of  the 
beryl.  Through  that  live  long  night  did  these  indescrib- 
able glories  meet  the  eye  of  the  observer.  And  on 
Thursday  another  cloudless  morning  and  clear  shining 
sun  brought  back  the  glories  of  Wednesday  ;  Nay,  to  my 
eye,  this  last  day  of  the  spectacle  seemed  the  most  splen- 
did of  all ;  and  one  could  hardly  realize  that  he  was  not 
translated  to  some  celestial  region.  A  second  glorious 
evening  set  in.  But  ere  morning  the  clouds  overspread 
the  sky,  and  the  powerful  rain  of  Friday  and  Friday 
night  left  the  trees  without  a  vestige  of  ice,  and  conse- 
quently ended  the  enchanting  phenomenon,  to  be  seen 
again  we  know  not  when.  In  some  places  trees  have 
been  injured  by  the  weight  of  the  ice  ;  and  this  feature  is 
noticed  and  complained  of  by  men.  But  taste  and  piety 


120  WHAT   A  WORLD    THIS, 

might  well  be  contented  to  see  the  vegetable  world  deci- 
mated, if  necessary  to  so  enchanting  an  exhibition. 

Exegetical  writers  upon  the  Bible,  sometimes  tell  us  of 
what  they  call  an&$  izyo^va;— that  is,  words  used  only 
once  in  the  whole  Scriptures.  In  human  life  too,  there 
are  events,  which  we  may  call  an^  (patvo^ra  ,•— that  is,  ap- 
pearing only  once  during  a  generation.  He  who  has 
seen  one  transit  of  a  planet  over  the  sun,  or  one  Novem- 
ber shower  of  meteors,  or  one  splendid  comet,  or  one  Lu- 
nar Iris,  or  one  volcanic  eruption,  may  be  satisfied,  and 
cannot  hope  for  a  second  sight. — I  reckon  this  glacial 
phenomenon  among  these  unique  revelations  of  nature, 
whose  repetition  may  be  reserved  for  posterity.  To 
those  who  have  not  witnessed  all  the  features  of  this  ex- 
hibition which  I  have  described,  I  may  seem  enthusiastic 
and  extravagant  in  my  estimates.  But  there  are  those 
present,  I  trust,  who  can  testify  that  they  are  not  exag- 
geration ;  and  on  whose  memories  they  have  made  as  in- 
delible an  impression  as  a  total  eclipse  of  the  sun,  or  a 
splendid  comet,  or  the  transit  of  Yenus,  or  Mercury  ;  and 
will  be  looked  back  upon  as  a  pleasant  oasis  along  the 
journey  of  life** 

*  Since  the  period  of  the  glacial  phenomenon  described  in  the 
text,  I  have  seen  only  one  analogous  exhibition,  and  that  partial, 
and  far  inferior  to  the  first  On  Mount  Holyoke,  however,  there  was 
a  very  splendid  display  of  the  gems  ;  but  the  ice  was  mostly  confined 
to  the  mountain. 

It  may  not  be  generally  known,  that  there  are  two  circumstances  of 
frequent  occurrence,  in  which  a  person  can  see  a  beautiful,  though 


HAD    NOT    SIN    MARRED  IT.  121 

But  let  me  hasten  to  consider  some  of  the  more  stri- 
king religious  applications  of  the  phenomena  under  con- 
sideration. 

In  the  first  place,  they  lead  us  to  infer  what  a  splendid 
world  this  might  have  been,  even  with  the  present  laws  of 
nature,  had  sin  never  entered  it. 

When  God  foresaw  that  man  would  sin,  he  decreed 
that  death  must  follow  in  the  train.  Nor  would  it  be  con- 
sistent with  infinite  holiness  to  place  a  sinful  mortal  be- 
ing in  a  world  as  perfect  and  as  full  of  splendid  exhi- 
bitions of  divine  skill,  as  might  exist  in  the  residence  of 
innocence  and  holiness.  The  laws  and  operations  of  na- 
ture, therefore,  must  be  so  cramped  and  adjusted,  that 
while  they  would  present  many  exquisite  evidences  of  the 
wisdom  and  benevolence  of  the  Deity,  they  should  not 
bring  out  the  most  perfect  and  splenlid  exhibition.  This 
world  might  easily  have  been  so  made,  that  its  rocks 

inferior  exhibition  of  gems  by  the  refraction  of  the  sun's  rays.  One 
such  opportunity  occurs  in  the  morning,  when  the  grass  and  the  trees 
are  covered  with  frost  work :  and  another,  when  a  heavy  dew  or  a 
shower  in  the  night  has  produced  a  multitude  of  drops  of  water. 
The  most  favorable  position  to  see  the  gems,  is  to  face  the  rising 
sun ;  when  the  observer  will  perceive  upon  the  grass  before  him,  a 
parabolic  curve,  strung  with  all  the  colored  and  uncolored  gems  des- 
cribed in  the  text,  though  of  smaller  size.  The  same  may  be  seen 
upon  the  shrubs  and  trees.  And  they  might  be  observed  in  other 
directions,  though  more  scattered.  And  one  who  will  take  the  pains 
to  look  out  for  this  phenomenon,  will  be  quite  often  gratified  by  wit- 
nes-i  ig  a  ric'i  variety  of  diamonds,  sapphires,  bc-rj  Is,  topazes,  &c.,  giv- 
ing him  a  faint  idea  of  the  splendid  example  described  in  this  volume. 

11* 


122          THE  AGENCIES  OF  NATURE, 

should  have  been  composed  wholly  of  the  most  beautiful 
gems,  and  every  landscape  have  shone  with  the  glory  of 
Eden.  And  it  does  seem  as  if  God  had  so  balanced  and 
adjusted  the  agencies  of  nature,  that  once  or  twice  in  a 
generation  he  allows  some  splendid  development  of  un- 
earthly beauty  to  teach  us  what  might  perhaps  have  been 
a  settled  order  of  things,  had  not  sin  impressed  her  harpy 
fingers  upon  the  face  of  nature.  "While,  therefore,  we  are 
grateful  for  what  is  left  us, — so  much  superior  to  what  we 
deserve, — let  us  be  reminded,  when  we  witness  such  exhi- 
bitions as  the  one  under  consideration,  how  much  more 
glorious  might  have  been  our  lot,  had  not  sin  brought  in 
death,  and  made  the  whole  creation  groan  and  travail  tog  eth- 
er in  pain  until  now.  Let  us  loathe  the  hateful  tyrant, 
who  has  thus  degraded  us — Let  us  break  asunder  his 
chains,  and  wait  in  humble  hope  for  the  manifestation  of 
the  sons  of  God, — and  for  the  glories  of  the  new  heavens 
and  the  new  earth,  wherein  dwelleth  righteousness. 

In  the  second  place,  with  what  exquisite  skill  must  the 
agencies  ojf  nature  be  balanced,  in  order  to  bring  about 
such  an  exhibition  as  we  have  witnessed  ! 

It  was  found  necessary  to  allow  the  agents  of  atmos- 
pheric changes  some  latitude,  or  oscillation,  in  their  opera- 
tion :  and  this  is  what  gives  such  an  appearance  of  con- 
fusion and  irregularity  to  meteorological  phenomena: 
and  this  also  rendered  it  more  difficult  so  to  balance  these 
agencies,  that  they  should  bring  about  a  certain  result 
with  infallible  certainty  ;  in  a  case  too,  where  a  great 


HOW  WELL  BALANCED!  123 

many  of  them  are  concerned-  Had  any  of  these  varied 
in  their  intensity,  by  an  infinitesimal  quantity,  it  would 
have  been  fatal  in  the  present  instance,  to  such  results 
as  we  have  witnessed.  Had  the  temperature  varied  du- 
ring forty-eight  hours,  from  what  it  was,  a  single  degree 
higher  or  lower, — had  it  been  higher  at  all,  either  at  the 
beginning  or  end  of  the  storm, — had  the  descent  of  the 
rain  been  more  rapid  or  in  greater  quantity,  or  in  larger 
drops, — had  the  wind,  as  is  common  in  storms,  been  high- 
er ;  or  had  the  more  recondite  agencies  that  produce  and 
regulate  storms,  such  as  electricity,  been  in  a  slightly  dif- 
ferent state,  some  of  the  exquisite  features  of  the  phe- 
nomena must  have  been  marred,  and  the  whole  have  re- 
sulted in  an  ordinary  case  of  rain,  hail  or  snow.  Job 
speaks  of  the  balancings  of  the  clouds,  as  among  the  mys- 
teries of  ancient  philosophy.  But  how  much  nicer  the 
balancing  and  counterbalancing  of  the  complicated  agen- 
cies of  the  atmosphere,  in  order  to  bring  out  this  glacial 
miracle  in  full  perfection  ! — What  wisdom  and  power 
short  of  infinite,  could  have  brought  it  about !  And  when 
we  may  ask,  shall  it  be  witnessed  again  !  As  easily 
might  we  answer  the  question  of  one  gazing  on  a  splen- 
did figure  in  the  Kaleidoscope,  when  that  precise  exhibi- 
tion will  reappear  in  the  course  of  its  revolutions.  It  is 
possible  that  the  next  turn  of  the  instrument  may  pre- 
sent it ;  but  almost  certain  that  a  whole  life  of  labor,  in 
turning  it  round,  would  not  bring  it  again.  Nor  can  we 
hardly  dare  hope  again,  during  our  short  lives,  to  see  the 


124  HUMAN    LIFE 

time  when  all  the  requisite  contingencies  shall  conspire 
to  bring  this  identical  phenomenon  before  us,  that  we  may 
feast  our  eyes  with  its  beauties.  Let  us  be  thankful  that 
we  have  seen  it  once  ;  and  for  so  many  days,  and  under 
so  many  phases  ;  and  let  us  not  fail  to  learn  from  it  a  new 
and  impressive  lesson  of  the  infinite  skill  and  benevolence 
of  the  Author  of  Nature. 

In  the  third  place,  how  strikingly  emblematical  has  this 
scene  been,  of  human  life  ! 

As  we  set  forward  in  the  morning  of  our  days,  how 
brilliant  and  enticing  is  the  prospect  before  us  !  The  sun 
of  hope  throws  its  full  radiance  over  the  landscape,  and 
the  rays  come  reflected  to  us  in  rainbow  colors ;  and  with 
buoyant  spirits  and  elastic  step,  we  bound  forward  in  pur- 
suit of  the  splendid  gems  that  glitter  in  our  horizon. 
Many  a  golden  path  opens  before  us,  to  fortune,  to  fame, 
or  to  pleasure  ;  and  though  we  hear  behind  us  the  warn- 
ing voice  of  experience,  bidding  us  moderate  our  expecta- 
tions, and  not  centre  all  our  hopes  upon  what  may  disap- 
point and  deceive  us,  we  are  too  sure  that  the  visions  be- 
fore us  are  realities,  and  can  be  obtained,  to  be  willing  to 
falter  in  our  course.  Life  seems  to  us  as  full  of  splendor 
as  the  scenes  of  the  last  week  ;  and  its  honors  and  pleas- 
ures as  inviting  as  the  gems  that  hung  temptingly  from 
the  trees.  And,  indeed  the  honors,  emoluments  and  en- 
joyments which  are  the  objects  of  pursuit,  are  as  much  re- 
alities as  were  the  icy  gems  of  nature.  And  in  both  cases, 
they  might  be  grasped. — But  when  we  took  the  icy  mor- 


SYMBOLIZED.  125 

sel  into  our  hands,  which,  at  a  distance  had  dazzled  us 
with  its  splendor,  how  soon  did  its  colors  vanish,  and  it- 
self melt  away  into  a  drop  of  water.  So  when  we  have 
obtained  the  honors,  reputation,  and  pleasures,  after 
which  we  aspire,  how  soon  does  their  glory  depart,  and 
the  harpy  fingers  of  envy  and  detraction,  endeavor  to 
filch  them  from  us  ;  and  the  cup  of  nectar  which  we  have 
seized,  becomes  changed  into  wormwood  and  gall ;  and 
we  find  that  we  have  been  raised  to  distinction,  only  to 
become  a  fairer  mark  for  the  poisoned  arrows  of  the  world 
to  reach ;  and  we  learn  that  instead  of  a  crown  of  glory, 
we  have  put  on  a  crown  of  thorns. 

Suppose  that  during  the  past  week  any  of  us  had  been 
so  fascinated  by  the  fairy  scene  before  us,  that  our  su- 
preme affections  had  become  fastened  upon  it.  What  a 
sense  of  desolation  would  have  come  over  us,  as  we  awoke 
yesterday  morning,  and  found  not  a  single  vestige  remain-* 
ing  of  the  objects  to  which  we  had  given  our  hearts.  So 
if  in  this  life,  we  place  our  supreme  desires  or  confidence 
upon  any  worldly  good,  a  single  storm  of  adversity  may 
sweep  away  all  our  prospects  and  possessions,  and  leave 
us  utterly  heart-stricken  and  overwhelmed.  And  sooner 
or  later  such  a  storm  will  overtake  every  one  and  sink 
him  in  utter  desolation,  who  has  not  laid  up  treasures  in 
heaven,  beyond  the  reach  of  all  worldly  changes.  Does 
my  voice  to-day  fall  upon  any  heart  that  has  nothing  to 
trust  in  beyond  this  world  !  Alas,  how  painful  and  peril- 
ous its  condition.  ! 


126  MAN'S  DISPLAYS 

In  the  fourth  place,  we  are  taught  by  the  phenomena  un- 
der consideration^  how  meagre  and  insignificant,  when 
compared  with  nature,  are  the  proudest  human  efforts  at 
ornament  or  display. 

The  love  of  display  is  one  of  the  strongest  passions  of 
the  human  heart ;  as  the  history  of  every  age  testifies. 
In  the  rudest  conditions  of  society,  it  exhibits  itself  in 
painting  the  body  and  the  dress  with  gaudy  colors,  and 
on  public  occasions  especially,  in  exhibiting  a  profusion 
of  ornaments,  derived  from  the  skins  of  quadrupeds,  the 
feathers  of  birds,  and  the  shells  of  molluscs  ;  and  with 
trinkets  of  glass,  or  tin,  or  brass.  The  more  civilized 
man  smiles  at  such  coarse  and  gaudy  displays ;  and  yet 
he  shows  a  passion  equally  strong  for  brilliant  exhibi- 
tions of  ornamental  objects,  more  costly  and  in  better  taste. 
Strip  off  the  waving  plume  of  the  warrior,  and  his  golden 
epaulette  from  his  shoulder,  and  the  glittering  star  from 
his  breast,  and  his  gold  and  diamond-hilted  sword  from  his 
side ;  strip  off  the  trappings  of  his  steed,  and  send  him  forth 
to  the  campaign  with  only  coarse  garments  and  naked  steel, 
and  you  have  robbed  his  work  of  half  its  attractions.  De- 
prive him  of  the  hope  of  witnessing  the  splendid  gala  day 
on  his  return  from  war,  of  riding  in  full  military  costume 
in  the  elegant  barouche,  beneath  the  triumphal  arch,  or 
amid  huzzaing  crowds,  and  I  fear  that  much  which  goes 
by  the  name  of  patriotism  would  be  found  to  be  only  a 
love  of  distinction. 


COMPARED    WITH   NATURE'S.  127 

But  it  is  not  the  warrior  alone  who  exhibits  the 
strength  of  this  passion.  Through  all  the  grades  of  soci- 
ety a  constant  strife  is  going  on  for  the  palm  in  external 
show.  Each  man  endeavors  to  excel  his  peers  and  to  ape 
his  superiors,  in  dress,  in  equipage,  and  in  entertaiments. 
The  more  wealth  the  greater  the  means  of  display ;  but 
the  passion  seems  almost  equally  strong  in  the  peasant  as 
the  prince.  When  men  are  divided  into  parties,  each  side 
strives  to  excel  its  rival  in  the  parade  and  decorations  of 
its  public  occasions  ;  and  in  religion,  it  is  well  known  how 
widely  and  fatally  meretricious  forms  of  worship  have 
smothered  its  vitality,  and  left  for  Jehovah  only  the  gild- 
ed but  defunct  carcase  of  devotion.  In  this  land  of  repub- 
lican simplicity,  we  see,  indeed,  only  comparatively  fee- 
ble manifestations  of  this  passion.  But  where  arbitrary 
governments  exist,  and  wealth  and  titles  are  hereditary, 
and  where  church  and  state  are  linked  together,  not  for 
the  purpose  of  supporting  religion,  but  of  supporting  each 
other,  costly  displays  of  dress  and  equipage,  stars  and  rib- 
bons, crowns  and  coronets,  and  other  paraphernalia  of 
royalty,  form  most  essential  means  of  feeding  national 
pride,  and  making  the  poor  forget  their  degradation  :  al- 
though the  expenditures  requisite  are  so  enormous,  that 
if  applied  in  charity,  they  would  send  food  and  raiment, 
education  and  happiness,  into  all  the  hovels  of  poverty. 

Would  now  that  the  costliest  decorations  that  ever 
pride  has  put  on,  and  the  most  splendid  pageants  which 
the  world  has  ever  seen,  could  have  been  gathered  to- 


128  PRIDE   AND    FASHION 

gether  upon  New  England  soil  during  the  last  week,  and 
been  brought  into  comparison  with  the  simple  exhibition 
of  nature  which  has  passed  before  us  „     I  would  that   all 
the  crown  jewels  and  other  decorations  of  all  the  mon- 
archs  of  Europe  and  Asia  had  been  here, — as  well  as 
their  possessors  ;  nay,  that  all  the  splendors  of  their  coro- 
nation could  have  been  exhibited.     I   would  have  had 
brought  hither  the  decorations  of  the  most  splendid  pala- 
ces and  castles, — and  the  gold  and  silver,  and  precious 
stones  of  all  the  famous  processions  and  gala  days,  mili- 
tary,   political,    and    religious,  of  the  old  and  the  new 
world  ;  and  I  would  that  individuals,  who  delight  in  dis- 
play,  had   brought   forward   their   proudest   ornaments. 
All  these  I  would  have  placed  by  the  side  of  one  of  our 
forests,  and  there,  under  the  full  beams  of  the  meridian 
sun,  or  the  full  moon,  I  would  have  bid  the  world  look  on, 
and  see  how  comparatively  meagre  and  insignificant  was 
the  collected   artificial  splendor  of  earth,  in  comparison 
will i  the  glories  of  that  single  forest,  decked  in  one  day 
by  the  magic  hand  of  nature.      And   I  would  have  bid 
them  remember,  that   a  thousand  forests  of  New  Eng- 
land were  at  the  same  moment  emitting  splendors  equally 
magnificent.       Could   the    monarchs    of    the   old   world, 
could  any  who  have  devoted  their  time  and  property  to 
the  pageantry   of  office,  or  party,  or  sect,  or  to  gratify 
personal  ambition, — could  they  ever  have  forgotten,  how 
nature,  on  these  bleak  shores,  and  in  the  midst  of  barren 
winter,  infinitely  outshone  them  all?     Oh  it  would  have 


THROWN    INTO    THE    SHADE  129 

been  one  of  the  best  schools  that  pride  ever  entered ;  and 
as  the  assembled  multitudes  went  back  to  their  various 
spheres  of  fashion  and  folly,  even  though  they  might 
have  resumed  the  contest  for  the  superiority  over  one 
another,  in  dress,  equipage,  entertainments,  and  dwel- 
lings, they  would  never  henceforth  have  hoped  to  equal 
the  glories  of  a  New  England  winter. 
Would  too  that  she,  whom  Cowper  calls 

Imperial  mistress  of  the  fur  clad  Kuss, 

who  constructed  a  palace  of  ice,  had  witnessed  this  scene* 
The  project  was  indeed  a  magnificent  one  ;  and  it  is  well 
described  by  the  poet:— - 

"  No  forest  fell 

When  thou  wouldst  build  :  no  quarry  sent  its  stores 
T'  enrich  thy  walls  :  but  thou  didst  hew  the  floods 
And  make  thy  marble  of  the  glassy  wave. 
In  such  a  palace  poetry  might  place 
The  armory  of  winter ;  where  his  troops 
The  gloomy  clouds,  find  weapons,  arrowy  sleet, 
Skin-piercing  volley,  blossom-bruising  hail, 
And  snow  that  often  blinds  the  traveler's  course, 
And  wraps  him  in  an  unexpected  grave. 
Silently  as  a  dream  the  fabric  rose  ; 
No  sound  of  hammer  or  of  saw  was  there ; 
Ice  upon  ice,  the  well  adjusted  parts 
Were  soon  conjoined,  nor  other  cement  asked 
Than  water  interposed,  to  make  them  one. 

12 


130  THE   ICE   PALACE. 

So  stood  the  brittle  prodigy  j  though  smooth 
And  slippery  the  materials,  yet  frost  bound 

Firm  as  a  rock ; a  scene 

Of  evanescent  glory  once  a  stream, 
As  soon  to  slide  into  a  stream  again." 

But  had  the  imperial  Catharine  been  permitted  to  en- 
ter such  a  temple  as  Nature  has  built  of  the  same  materi- 
al, among  the  hills  of  New  England,  how  would  she  and 
her  architects  have  shrunk  from  the  enterprise,  with  such 
a  model  before  them. 

"  Thus  nature  works  as  if  defying  art ; 
And  in  defiance  of  her  rival  powers, 
By  these  fortuitous  and  random  strokes, 
Performing  such  inimitable  feats, 
As  she  with  all  her  rules  can  never  reach." 

Vain,  however,  is  the  wish  to  bring  hither  the  princes, 
the  nobility,  or  the  fashionables,  of  other  lands,  or  even  of 
our  own,  to  teach  them  a  lesson  of  humility.  Few  of 
them  will  ever  hear  of  the  magnificent  scene  so  lately 
around  us.  But  let  not  us,  who  have  feasted  upon  it  so 
many  days,  suffer  it  to  pass  without  instruction.  We 
have  the  same  unholy  desire,  as  they,  to  outstrip  others 
in  the  unhallowed  chase  after  fashionable  show  and  ex- 
ternal decorations :  and  we  owe  it  to  circumstances  and 
Divine  restraints,  if  we  have  not  gone  to  the  same  excess 
of  vanity.  When  tempted  again  to  chase  the  phantoms, 
let  us  turn  to  the  realities  of  nature  and  be  satisfied. 


IMPARTIAL  BENEVOLENCE.  131 

This  leads  me  to  remark,  in  the  fifth  place,  that  the  scene 
under  consideration  furnishes  a  striking  example  of  that 
impartial  benevolence  of  the  Deity,  which  has  so  widely 
diffused  the  richest  gifts  of  nature,  that  they  cannot  be 
monopolized,  but  are  the  common  property  of  the  whole  hu- 
man family. 

Men  endeavor  to  monopolize  whatever  they  can,  to 
themselves,  or  families,  or  party,  or  sect.  As  soon  as  the 
wealthy  and  the  fashionable  find  that  the  community  gen- 
erally are  able  to  obtain  an  article  of  dress,  or  ornament, 
or  luxury,  which  they  supposed  was  exclusively  theirs, 
they  cease  to  desire  it,  and  go  in  pursuit  of  something 
new.  But  mark  how  different  is  the  impartial  benevo- 
lence of  God ;  and  how  it  rebukes  this  contemptible 
spirit  of  self-aggrandizement  and  self-appropriation.  The 
most  valuable  of  nature's  bounties  are  the  common  prop- 
erty of  all.  The  air,  the  water,  the  beauties  of  the  sea- 
sons, the  glories  of  morn,  noon,  and  evening, — the  delight- 
ful prospects  above,  around,  and  beneath,  can  never  be 
monopolized.  Men  may  map  off  the  earth's  surface  :  they 
may  surround  this  portion  and  that,  with  moats  and  walls, 
and  call  it  their  own  ;  and  there  they  may  erect  stately 
mansions,  and  add  to  the  natural  scenery,  all  the  charms 
of  art.  But  they  cannot  shut  up  the  lungs  of  the  hum- 
blest individual  who  is  a  freeman,  so  that  he  shall  not  in- 
hale the  pure  atmosphere  :  nor  close  his  eyes  to  the  beau- 
ties of  heaven  and  earth  ;  nor  his  ears  against  the  sweet 


132  NO    MONOPOLY 

symphonies  of  nature.  Nay,  if  that  poor  man's  heart 
has  been  warmed  by  the  love  of  nature  and  of  nature's 
God,  he  has  a  more  real  and  substantial  property  in  the 
fields  and  habitations  around  him,  than  the  nominal  pos- 
sessor, with  all  his  legal  titles. 

"  His  are  the  mountains,  and  the  vallies  his  ; 
And  the  resplendant  rivers.     His  to  enjoy, 
With  a  propriety  that  none  can  feel, 
But  who,  with  filial  confidence  inspired, 
Can  lift  to  heaven  an  unpresumptuous  eye, 
And  smiling  say,  u  my  Father  made  them  all." 
Are  they  not  his  by  a  peculiar  right, 
And  by  an  emphasis  of  interest  his, 
Whose  eye  they  fill  with  tears  of  holy  joy, 
Whose  heart  with  praise,  and  whose  exalted  mind 
With  worthy  thoughts  of  that  unwearied  love, 
That  plann'd  and  built  and  still  upholds,  a  world 
So  cloth'd  with  beauty  for  rebellious  man.'* 

One  of  the  objects  which  the  wealthy  and  the  titled 
have  hitherto  succeeded  most  effectually  in  monopolizing, 
is  the  most  splendid  of  the  gems  dug  out  of  the  earth ; 
leaving  only  the  smaller  specimens,  or  imitations  in  glass, 
for  the  community  at  large.  And  because  these  larger 
specimens  are  very  few,  and  therefore  have  assumed  an 
enormous  factitious  value,  princes  and  others  of  great 
wealth,  have  succeded  in  keeping  them  in  their  hands : 
and  by  bringing  them  out  only  on  great  occasions,  they 


IN   NATURE.  133 

have  been  able  to  attract  the  attention  and  excite  the  ad- 
miration of  the  multitude.  But  the  inhabitants  of  New- 
England  at  least,  have  now,  for  many  days,  had  placed 
before  them,  an  exhibition  of  nature's  gems,  which  casts 
into  the  shade  all  the  crown  jewels  of  Europe  and  Asia, 
Had  they  all  been  suspended  upon  a  single  tree  in  our 
forests,  they  would  scarcely  have  been  noticed  amid  the 
profusion  of  glories  poured  forth  by  richer  gems  around 
them.  Henceforth  should  any  of  us  have  an  opportunity 
to  witness  a  coronation,  or  triumphal  procession,  or  carni- 
val feast,  in  Europe,  or  any  of  the  public  pageants  in  our 
own  land,  which  are  yearly  becoming  more  imposing,  and 
ape  regal  splendor  more  and  more,  we  must  feel  how 
wretched  an  imitation  they  all  are,  of  that  splendid  coro- 
nation season,  when  God's  own  hand  placed  the  crown, 
which  his  infinite  skill  had  constructed,  upon  the  hoary 
brow  of  winter.  Said  a  Roman  emperor,  near  the  close 
of  life, "  I  have  been  all,  and  all  is  nothing  :''  so  when  any 
of  us  have  seen  the  richest  exhibitions  of  mere  human 
skill  which  man  can  offer,  we  can  say,  "  We  have  seen 
all  and  all  is  nothing,  compared  with  that  coronation  sea- 
son of  nature." 

In  the  sixth  place,  the  subject  teaches  us  how  grateful  we 
should  be,  for  the  rich  and  exhaustless  source  of  happiness 
that  is  opened  before  us,  in  the  study  of  the  works  of  God. 

The  phenomenon  under  consideration  is  one  that  lay 
open  to  the  observation  of  all,  though  it  required  some 

12* 


134  THE    STUDY    OP   NATURE 

careful  examination  to  bring  out  all  his  glories  ;  and  its 
novelty  and  brilliancy  could  not  but  excite  general  admi- 
ration. But  really,  this  is  only  a  sample  of  the  novelties 
and  beauties  that  are  almost  continually  rewarding  the 
researches  of  him,  who  devotes  his  time  to  the  careful 
and  minute  study  of  the  works  of  God,  aided  by  the  light 
of  modern  science.  The  casual  and  general  observer 
soon  ceases  to  be  interested,  because  he  looks  only  at  the 
surface,  and  soon  exhausts  all  the  novelties.  He  merely 
stands  on  the  outside  of  the  temple  of  nature,  and  after 
gazing  for  a  time  at  its  noble  proportions,  and  splendid 
columns,  his  interest  subsides.  But  he  who  really  studies 
the  works  of  God,  because  he  loves  them,  is  admitted  into 
the  Penetralia ;  and  there  ten  thousand  new  objects  re- 
ward his  search :  opening  continually  before  him,  until  he 
reaches  the  very  Holy  of  Holies,  and  becomes  a  conse- 
crated priest.  He  has  acquired  a  relish  for  objects  that 
always  delight,  but  never  satiate.  Henceforth  he  possess- 
es a  source  of  happiness  of  which  the  fluctuations  of  life 
cannot  rob  him.  The  world  may  frown  upon  him,  and 
prove  false  ;  and  he  may  turn  away  with  loathing  from  its 
vanities.  But  nature  is  ever  the  same :  and  her  sweet 
voice  always  falls  with  soothing  power  upon  the  forlorn 
and  disconsolate  heart  of  her  votaries  ;  because  it  points 
them  to  the  Author  of  Nature ;  and  in  the  marvelous 
developments  of  his  skill  and  benevolence,  which  she  un- 
folds,  she  shows  theto  how  safely  they  may  trust  in  Him, 


A    RICH    SOLACE.  135 

to  carry  them  through  their  earthly  pilgrimage  ;  and  what 
new  and  higher  developments  they  may  hope  for  in  another 
state,  to  give  them  nobler  employment  and  more  extatic 
enjoyment  forever.  Having  thus  cast  themselves  upon 
the  bosom  of  nature  and  nature's  God,  it  will  be  in  vain 
that  the  storms  of  the  world  beat  upon  them,  and  the 
waves  of  affliction  roll  over  them.  Their  anchor  will  not 
quit  its  hold  till  life  does :  and  even  amid  the  frosts  of 
ages,  like  the  volcano  surrounded  by  polar  snows,  the 
flame  of  sanctified  Christian  love  for  nature,  will  throw  a 
brighter  radiance  over  the  wastes  of  time. 

Can  there  be  a  doubt,  now,  but  God  intended  that  man 
should  find  in  the  study  of  his  works,  a  rich  and  substan- 
tial source  of  happiness  here,  and  a  means  of  preparation 
for  happiness  hereafter.  For  not  only  has  he  laid  open 
before  all  classes  and  conditions,  a  most  inviting  field,  but 
he  has  implanted  in  the  young  heart  susceptibilities  al- 
ways awake  to  natural  beauty :  and  the  child  always 
loves  nature  enthusiastically.  But  alas,  in  civilized  soci- 
ety, how  early  are  artificial  objects  crowded  in  between 
him  and  nature,  until  factitious  wants  and  desires  supplant 
those  that  are  natural ;  and  he  is  put  upon  the  hot  race 
after  the  conventional  distinctions  of  life.  Even  as  early 
as  his  school  boy  days,  certainly  as  early  as  the  quadren- 
nial period  of  college,  nature  has  been  almost  forgotten  in 
his  thoughts  and  affections  ;  and  his  desires  have  become 
concentrated  upon  elegance  of  personal  appearance  and 


136  THE    NATURAL   TASTE 

equipage,  upon  the  acquisition  of  property,  or  civic  hon- 
ors, or  what  is  worse,  upon  sensual  gratifications.  Even 
the  study  of  the  works  of  God,  "as  science  developes 
them,  so  fascinating  to  the  unsophisticated  mind,  has  be- 
come to  him  an  unpleasant  task,  to  which  he  must  be 
drummed  up  by  rigid  rules.  He  lives,  indeed,  in  the 
midst  of  nature's  magnificent  museum ;  but  remains  most 
profoundly  ignorant  of  its  contents  :  for  his  attention  is 
devoted  to  the  gewgaws  and  trinkets,  the  puppet  shows 
and  histrionic  feats,  which  fashion,  and  ambition,  and 
sensuality  have  surreptitiously  introduced  there.  With 
these  he  becomes  familiar ;  and  as  a  consequence,  it  may 
be,  he  attains  that  distinction  in  the  fashionable  or  politi- 
cal world,  which  he  seeks,  and  that  amount  of  wealth 
which  enables  him  to  gratify  his  largest  desires  after  show 
and  equipage,  and  sensual  indulgence.  While  the  hey- 
day of  life  lasts,  these  objects  are  sufficient  to  satisfy  him  : 
but  as  its  autumn  advances,  these  artificial  pleasures 
begin  to  pall  upon  the  senses ;  and  becoming  disgusted 
with  fashionable  and  public  life,  he  flees  to  retirement  for 
relief.  Alas,  he  has  no  relish  for  the  only  thing  that  can 
make  retirement  pleasant,  viz :  the  study  of  nature :  and 
it  is  now  too  late  to  acquire  new  affections.  He  must, 
therefore,  try  to  quiet  his  restless  spirit,  as  well  as  he 
can,  with  the  same  husks  on  which  he  has  been  feeding. 
Political  intrigues,  and  party  politics  and  the  rivalries 
and  slanders  of  social  life,  must  still  be  his  resource. 


PERVERTED..  137 


And  if  the  possession  of  religion  does  not  inspire 
with  hope  beyond  the  grave,  wretched  indeed  must  be 
the  remainder  of  his  pilgrimage.  But  did  he  possess  a 
love  of  nature,  sanctified  by  a  love  of  nature's  God,  —  the 
God  of  redemption,  —  -how  sweetly  might  the  evening  of 
his  days  pass  :  and  when  his  sun  went  down  at  last,  how 
short  would  be  the  night,  and  how  bright  the  morning 
that  would  follow  ! 

Do  I  seem  extravagant  in  representing  the  substitution 
of  artificial  for  natural  tastes  and  desires  and  pursuits  in 
society,  to  be  so  general  and  so  injurious  ?  But  to  refer 
to  the  case  in  hand  :  how  many  there  are,  who  have  not 
noticed  the  splendid  phenomenon  that  has  passed  before 
us,  as  any  thing  worth  remembering  !  How  many,  who 
would  take  an  hundred  times  more  interest  in  the  tinsel 
glitter  of  a  public  entertainment,  or  a  ball-room,  or  a  po- 
litical procession,  er  a  theatre,  than  in  the  splendors, 
which  ta  an  unperverted  taste,  have  made  all  artificial 
displays  tame  and  insignificant  !  How  many,  who  would 
cross  the  Atlantic  to  witness  a  coronation,  or  a  military 
parade,  but  who  have  not  felt  interest  enough  in  these  far 
richer  exhibitions,  to  go  out  of  their  dwellings  !  How 
many,  who,  when  standing  upon  the  banks  of  Niagara, 
would  see  only  a  great  mill  dam  :  OF  who,  when  looking 
down  into  the  deep  and  fiery  crater  of  Kirauea,  would 
think  of  nothing  but  a  great  forge  :  or  whose  most  im- 
portant inquiry,  when  looking  abroad  from  the  highest 


138  THE   SCRIPTURES 

mountain   peak   in    North    America,    would    be,    what 
use   could  ever  be  made  of  so  much  wild  land  :  or  whose 
admiration,  when  first  seeing  the  moons  of  Jupiter,  or  the 
ring  of  Saturn,  or  the  lunar  mountains,  through  a  tele- 
scope, or  a  planet  crossing  the   Sun's   disc,  or  a  total 
eclipse  at  noon  day,  whose  admiration,  I  say,  would  rise 
no  higher,  than  the  utterance  of  some  contemptible  joke. 
Now  when  God  has  crowded  the  world  in  which  we  live 
with   an   endless   profusion   of  the   most   attractive  and 
astonishing  wonders,  for  the  very  purpose  of  leading  us 
to    study  and  admire  them ;   and  when  I  know  that  that 
study  would  exert  a  most  salutary   influence  upon  the 
social,  moral,  and  religious  character  of  all  classes  and  all 
ages  ;  how  can  I,  without  the  deepest  pain/see  so  many  of 
the  community  manifest  an  almost  sottish   indifference  to 
all  these  wonders,  and  follow  with  infatuated  eagerness 
after  those  artificial  vanities,  which  are  many  of  them 
most  hurtful,  and  all  of  them   as  inferior  to  nature,    as 
man  is  to  the  Deity ! 

In  the  seventh  place,  the  phenomenon  we  have  been  con- 
templating) affords  us  a  more  vivid  conception  of  several 
objects  of  interest  described  in  scripture,  than  we  could 
obtain  in  any  other  way. 

What  Christian  has  not  meditated  with  deep  interest, 
upon  the  bush  which  the  patriarch  saw  in  the  desert  of 
Sinai,  burning  with  fire,  yet  unconsumed,  from  which 
there  came  forth  the  voice  of  God,  saying,  put  off  thy 


ILLUSTRATED.  139 

shoes  from  thy  feet,  for  the  place  whereon  tliou  standest  is 
holy  ground.  Yet  during  the  last  fortnight,  we  have 
had  many  vivid  resemblances  to  that  burning  bush.  At 
the  rising  and  setting  of  the  sun,  whole  forests  seemed  to 
be  lighted  up  almost  into  a  blaze.  But  to  my  own  eye, 
a  representation  of  this  miracle,  equally  striking,  was 
seen  at  the  rising  of  the  full  moon,  which  threw  a  more 
golden  splendor  over  the  boughs  of  tree  and  shrub,  than 
had  been  done  by  the  sunlight,  whose  reflection  had  a 
more  silvery  aspect.  And  was  there  no  divine  voice 
issuing  from  the  bush,  thus  lighted  up  by  God's  own 
hand  ?  The  ear  of  sense  could  not  hear  any,  as  it  did 
upon  Sinai :  but  to  the  ear  of  faith  it  came  in  distinct 
accents,  saying,  put  off  thy  shoes  from  thy  feet,  for  the 
place  whereon  thou  standest  is  holy  ground.  The  whole 
scene,  indeed  has  been  full  of  God,  and  stupid  must  be 
that  heart  which  did  not  realize  his  presence. 

In  the  next  place,  who  could  help  noticing  in  this  whole 
scene,  a  resemblance  to  the  scriptural  representation  of 
the  New  Jerusalem.  Her  light,  says  John,  was  like  unto 
a  stone  most  precious  ;  even  like  a  jasper  stone,  clear  as 
crystal :  And  had  a  wall  great  and  high,  and  had  twelve 
gates,  and  at  the  gates  twelve  angels,  and  names  written 
thereon,  which  are  the  names  of  the  twelve  tribes  of  the 
children  of  Israel :  On  the  east,  three  gates :  on  the  north, 
three  gates :  on  the  south,  three  gates :  and  on  the  west, 
three  gates.  And  the  wall  of  the  city  had  twelve  founda- 


140  THE   NEW   JERUSALEM 

lions,  and  in  them  the  names  of  the  twelve  apostles  of  the 
Lamb.  And  the  building  of  the  wall  of  it  was  of  jasper  : 
and  the  city  was  of  pure  gold  like  unto  clear  glass.  And 
the  foundations  of  the  wall  of  the  city  wet e  garnished  with 
all  manner  of  precious  stones.  The  first  foundation  was 
jasper  :  the  second,  sapphire :  the  third,  a  chalcedony  :  the 
fourth,  an  emerald:  the  fifth,  a  sardonyx:  the  sixth,  sar- 
dius :  the  seventh,  crysolite :  the  eighth,  beryl :  the  ninth,  a 
topaz :  the  tenth,  a  chrysoprasus :  the  eleventh,  a  jacinth  : 
the  twelfth,  an  amethyst.  And  the  twelve  gates  were  twelve 
pearls;  every  several  gate  was  of  one  pearl;  and  the 
street  of  the  city  was  pure  gold,  as  it  were  transparent 
glass.  This  description  is  not,  indeed,  to  be  understood 
literally.  But  what  richer  group  of  objects  could  be 
brought  together,  in  order  to  give  us  some  idea  of  the 
splendor  and  glory  of  the  future  residence  of  the  right- 
eous. Yet  how  imperfect  an  idea  of  that  splendor,  after 
all,  do  most  men  obtain  from  this  description,  because 
they  have  never  seen  the  rich  gems  here  put  as  repre- 
sentations of  heavenly  glory.  And  although  I  had  often 
seen  them,  in  the  discharge  of  professional  duties,  yet  I 
confess  that  my  conceptions  too,  were  faint  and  feeble 
compared  to  what  they  now  are.  We  have  had  before 
us,  from  day  to  day,  a  far  richer  exhibition  of  these  very 
gems,  than  all  the  lapidaries  on  earth  can  furnish, — 
although  I  fear  that  very  few  have  seen  the  full  glory  of 
this  part  of  the  exhibition : — But  sure  I  am,  that  those 


SYMBOLIZED.  141 

who  did  see  it,  must  have  a  far  livelier  apprehension  of 
the  purity  and  glory  of  Heaven  than  he  had  before. 
And  if  even  in  the  present  world  of  sense  and  sin,  God 
permits  nature  occasionally  to  put  on  so  splendid  a  dress, 
what  overpowering  magnificence  may  even  the  material  uni- 
verse assume,  in  that  world  where  she  will  be  no  more 
fettered  and  darkened,  and  where  the  human  soul  will 
need  no  organic  sensorium  !  Oh  what  Christian's  heart 
does  not  reach  forth  after  that  nobler  state  of  being,  and 
pant  for  deliverance  from  that  sin  and  imperfection, 
which  can  never  dwell  in  so  resplendent  an  abode  ! 

John  closes  his  description  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  by 
saying,  /  saw  no  temple  therein,  for  the  Lord  God 
Almighty  and  the  Lamb  are  the  temple  of  it.  And  so 
would  I  say  in  regard  to  the  scene  which  has  been  de- 
scribed. For  wherever  one  stood  in  looking  upon  it, 

"  So  like  a  temple  did  it  seem,  that  there 

A  pious  heart's  first  impulse  would  be  prayer." 

And  so  impressively  present  did  God  seem,  that  all  na- 
ture was  converted  into  a  fane,  and  every  object  into  an 
altar. 

Finally,  this  scene  gives  us  an  impressive  idea  of  the 
value  of  that  fear  of  the  Lord  which  is  ivisdom,  and  of 
that  departing  from  evil,  ivhlch  is  understanding. 

Where,  says  Job,  shall  wisdom  be  found,  and  where  is 
the  place  of  understanding  ?  Man  knoiveth  not  the  price 

13 


142  WISDOM 

thereof.  It  cannot  be  gotten  for  gold,  neither  shall  silver 
be  weighed  for  the  price  thereof.  It  cannot  be  valued  with 
the  gold  of  Ophir^  with  the  precious  onyx,  or  the  sapphire. 
The  gold  and  the  crystal  cannot  equal  it,  and  the  exchange 
of  it  shall  not  be  for  jewels,  or  fine  gold.  No  mention 
shall  be  made  of  coral,  or  of  pearls :  for  the  price  of  wis- 
dom is  above  rubies.  The  topaz  of  Ethiopia  shall  not 
equal  it,  neither  shall  it  be  valued  with  pure  gold.  And 
to  assure  us  what  he  meant  by  wisdom  and  understand- 
ing, Job  adds, — the  fear  of  the  Lord,  that  is  wisdom,  and 
to  depart  from  evil^  that  is  understanding. 

Here  too  the  sacred  writer  chose  the  most  costly  and 
splendid  productions  of  nature,  to  show  how  worthless 
they  all  are  when  compared  with  true  piety.  Suppose 
now,  that  all  the  ice  drops  which  have  covered  our  for- 
ests, had  been  real  gems,  and  might  have  been  gathered 
like  fruit,  and  converted  into  money.  How  poor,  accord- 
ing to  the  Scriptures,  would  be  the  possessor  of  them  all, 
if  wanting  in  supreme  love  to  God. 

"  O  thou  most  bounteous  giver  of  all  gifts, 
Thou  art  Thyself  of  all  thy  gifts  the  crown. 
Without  Thee  we  are  poor,  give  what  thou  wilt : 
And  with  Thee  rich,  take  what  thou  wilt  away." 

Are  any  of  my  hearers  destitute  of  this  boon,  which 
all  the  treasures  of  earth  cannot  purchase  !     Let  them  be 


SYMBOLIZED,  143 

assured  that  Jesus  Christ  offers  it  to  them  without  money 
and  without  price ;  having  purchased  it  at  an  infinite 
sacrifice.  Oh  !  think  of  the  final  remorse  and  agony  of 
that  soul,  which  shall  refuse  the  priceless  gift,  and  be 
lost, — lost, — lost, — forever. 


RETURN  TO  the  circulation  desk  of  any 
University  of  California  Library 
or  to  the 

NORTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 
Bldg.  400,  Richmond  Field  Station 
University  of  California 
Richmond,  CA  94804-4698 

ALL  BOOKS  MAY  BE  RECALLED  AFTER  7  DAYS 
2-month  loans  may  be  renewed  by  calling 

(415)642-6233 
1-year  loans  may  be  recharged  by  bringing  books 

to  NRLF 
Renewals  and  recharges  may  be  made  4  days 

prior  to  due  date 

DUE  AS  STAMPED  BELOW 


SEP  7  1987 


•   "! 


0  2fltt 


FEB  0  5  2006 


Ytt 


THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


